


Unbroken

by DeiliaMedlini



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Blood, Blood and Injury, Dangerous Romance, Dungeon, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fallen kingdom - Freeform, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Hyrule Castle, Implied/Referenced Torture, Imprisonment, Kingdom of Hyrule, Not a specific Link or Zelda, On the Run, Romance, Tags Are Hard, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:07:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 62
Words: 184,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24141808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeiliaMedlini/pseuds/DeiliaMedlini
Summary: The Kingdom of Hyrule has been usurped by the Demon King Ganondorf, but Princess Zelda refuses to officially cede her throne to the monster who killed her family, landing her in the castle dungeons. There, she meets her cell-mate, an injured young soldier named Link whose blatant defiance matches her own. Keeping her identity hidden from him becomes harder as they grow closer, a dangerous situation that Ganondorf could use against them to finally break the Princess' spirit and gain the throne.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 852
Kudos: 581





	1. Chapter 1

She was used to the dark by now. It was such a rare occasion that the guards would leave the torches lit in the hall, but when they did, she memorized the empty hallway, the bricks in the wall, the cracks on the floor. There was little else to do but stare beyond the bars. One door on each side of the corridor. Of course, she knew where the doors led. She knew it well. It was her home.

Or, it had been.

Each time the door opened with one of the soldiers who bore her food, she was blinded by the bright light that came from a window just outside. It often took her too long to adjust her eyes before the soldier was gone again, and today, it was no different.

She heard the cell door open and didn’t dare to go near it, not again. After several attempts, she learned the punishment for trying to escape. The bruises all across her body were evidence of that. So, as she did every day, she waited for him to leave so she could eat her meal in what little peace she still felt.

But today, she heard a creak as she bit into the sludge she was given. Waiting, she couldn’t see or hear anyone entering the room. The light would have given them away for sure, yet no one was inside. A rat, perhaps? She didn’t love the thought, but she knew far worse things than the nibbling of an unwelcome predator in the night.

She stood up, ready to fight back. That was something they hadn’t broken her of. She would fight. But still, there were no footsteps.

The creak came again, this time, it was longer.

 _Goddess_ …

The door to her cell. 

They’d forgotten to lock it.

She took a deep, steadying breath. Her adrenaline was pumping her heart faster than even her horse could ride. The door was tight as she squeezed through it. There was no way she’d risk a louder creak by opening it any wider, and no possibility that she could hesitate any longer.

She ran to the far door, one that would lead closer to the stairway out of the dungeons. She, as the Princess of Hyrule, had been afforded the “luxury” of isolation in her own cell, far from the scum in the true dungeons. But it had been a lie.

There was nowhere safe inside the castle. She didn’t know who else from the castle household was dead or alive, but she knew that if her people saw her, even just once, that there was no chance of the usurper hiding her away again. Either she’d be released to her rooms and make an appearance once in a while, or she would be publicly executed. Either option was better than this.

But, if she was caught, anyone who recognized her was at risk of execution. The usurper would rather her fate be unconfirmed so he could take the throne, but it was in name only. Until she, the last member of the royal family, signed away her throne, no one, not even a usurper, could take it away from her bloodline. And her cousin had already begun to raise an army to take back the kingdom.

There was no way to risk grabbing a torch to light the way. She had to rely on years of exploring the castle to find her way to the stairs. It didn’t take long. They were loud each time her foot hit the stone, echoing through the tall staircase.

But upon reaching the top, there was no reprieve. The door opened, and she was face to face with a moblin and two soldiers.

“Hey!” one yelled as she took off back down the stairs.

Her breath caught as she tried to make it back through the door, but a hard hand hit her shoulder, pushing her against the wall with such force that she felt blood in her mouth from her lip.

“Let’s go,” the soldier muttered.

“No!” she cried, reaching for the wall to claw at, as if it could halt her captors.

She tried to squirm free of his grasp, but there was very little room in his arms to maneuver. It felt like he was crushing her ribs, though perhaps he was doing so on purpose so she couldn’t escape.

He dragged her into the cells of the true dungeon, the seemingly endless room filled to the brim by ‘criminals’. Cries from every single cage burst into the air immediately, hurting her eardrums. The most common: “Let me out! I’m Princess Zelda!”

And she knew very well that it wasn’t true. _She_ was Zelda. And that plea did nothing.

Her heart sank, but she was thankfully thrown into one of the few empty cells.

“The King will deal with you when he returns.”

“He is not the King,” she spat back with as much defiance as she could muster, only to receive a hard, gloved slap across her cheek. It stung, sending unwitting tears to her eyes, though she stared back boldly as the soldier locked the cage, testing the door.

It was only when he left and the room quieted down again that she heard a voice from the cell next to hers. Though she couldn’t see the speaker, she could tell he was a younger man. His voice was husky, like it hadn’t been used in some time.

“Frinz, is that you? Back again?” It was fairly easy to hear him, even over the loud shouts and pleas from the rest of the hallway. She suspected he was right up against the wall that connected their two cells.

“Excuse me?” she asked, leaning against the bars to try to look into his cell. The angle made it impossible “Are you speaking to me?”

The young man chuckled, despite this morbid situation they were in. “Well, you’re definitely not Frinz. What’s your name?”

“Zelda.”

The man sighed. “You and everyone elses’ name in here. Is that your real name? I swear I won’t tell _them_ it isn’t.”

“It is my real name.”

“Named for the princess, then?”

There was no point in trying to convince the man who she was. “Yes. What is your name? Why are you here?”

“My name? Link. I was a soldier who fought against the Demon King. What brings _you_ here?”

Zelda grasped the bars more firmly. “I existed.”

Link scoffed. “I suppose that’s reason enough for some people.”

“Have you tried getting out of here? Is there any way?” she asked, desperate already.

“I’ve gotten out several times, actually. I became rather adept at it. But given that I am here still, you can see how far I’ve gotten. I am now officially chained to the wall just out of reach of the door. I was deemed too dangerous.”

“Are you alright?”

The young man laughed. “It doesn’t quite matter at this point whether I am or not. I used up my last opportunity for escape.”

“So you’ve given up?” she asked, feeling her own crippling despair.

But Link laughed again. She wished she could see if he had a look of joy or of dark humor on his face. “As long as I’m breathing, I’m not giving up. Rumor has it that the real Princess herself is alive and in these prison walls, yet she still hasn’t ceded the Kingdom of Hyrule to that usurper. If she can hold fast in this place, I think some of us can learn from her.”

Zelda’s mouth twitched up ever so slightly. “What if she’s terrified every moment?”

She could hear his rattle of chains.

“We can only be bravest when we are most afraid.”


	2. Chapter 2

Zelda listened to the soft snoring of those in the cells all around her. She wished she could see Link, to know if he was awake, but she didn’t dare call his name to check. For once, the loud room was quiet.

But she didn’t have to consider that much longer.

The door flew open at the end of the hall and a chorus of shouts echoed off the wall. Everyone was either enraged or panicked. Zelda didn’t know which she should be be until she saw the intimidating King of Darkness himself striding confidently down the hall. Her father’s crown sat upon his head. It made her red with anger.

Ganondorf was led to her cell by a familiar soldier, the one who'd brought her in here, who stopped directly in front of her glorified cage.

“What’s happening?” Link asked amid a rattle of chains. “Are you alright?”

The soldier slammed his fists against the bars to shut Link up just as Ganondorf made it in front of her cell.

Ganondorf gripped the bars with a menacing smile on his face. “Well, well, Little Flower, have your thorns been picked off yet?”

She didn’t respond, but the entire room had gone eerily quiet, listening intently. A visit from the usurper himself was rare.

“Open her cage,” he commanded. As the soldier undid the lock, Zelda scampered to her feet and crossed the cell so she was against the corner furthest from him. Though she could masquerade a brave face, she had been witness to his rage, and wasn't keen to be on the receiving end of it. 

“Is that what it takes to make you stand in my presence? I suppose a bow is too much to ask for. My guards told me you escaped your cell earlier. I’d like you to come with me so you can watch their executions. Lazy fools. They had one job. I think you should know what happens to those who disobey me.”

Mustering all of her strength, she met his eyes with her own steeled ones. “Disobedience implies that there was some sort of loyalty to begin with that must first be broken. I don’t recognize your authority over me, so is it still disobedience in that case?”

He crossed the cell, and there was nowhere for her to go. She felt his hard gauntlet hit her cheek and she whimpered involuntarily when his hand wrapped around her throat. Though his grip was light, the small, threatening twitch of his fingers had her gasping. His threat was beyond clear. He could kill her with one hand.

“We’re re-doing your isolated cell. I think you’ll like it when its done. There won't be an escape from it this time. You’ll be here for now. But you’re coming with me. It seems that my past demonstrations have not been enough to frighten you into choosing common sense. Perhaps there is more cruelty you wish to see? I'll oblige that wish.”

She pulled his hand away from her, which she knew he allowed. His strength was far greater than her own. Taking steps towards the cell door, she felt someone wrench her arms behind her, restraining her as they walked.

“I am not some fragile doll, and it takes more than a words, executions, or dark cells to break me.”

Ganondorf’s laugh was dark, low, and frightening in its own right. It had her heart speed up without needing words as his threat, but he continued anyway. “I intend to find that breaking point.”

* * *

When they returned, Ganondorf pressed Zelda against the wall while his soldier unlocked her cell. Zelda was breathing hard. She’d nearly thrown up at the horrific sights she’d witnessed, a brutality she couldn't have conjured up in her wildest nightmares, and now was lightheaded and ready to pass out. In truth, Ganondorf might be the only thing keeping her from falling.

She realized her vulnerability too late, and felt him shake her, banging her head back against the stone wall with a hard thud. She let out a soft, strangled cry of pain from the impact, and he moved right up to her, his rancid breath against her face. 

“You can make this end, or I can make you watch every execution. I’ll slowly execute every person in here. Then, I’ll take you back to your _real_ cell: a cage that will have you begging for my mercy. You’ll only come back out for more executions until there is no citizen left loyal to the royal family of Hyrule, and I am all that’s left to bow before.”

“I’d sooner bow to the nearest moblin,” she spat.

Closing her eyes when she saw his hand raise to hit her again, she never felt the impact. Instead, the bars of the cell beside her rattled and she turned, seeing a foot banging against them. It distracted Ganondorf, though a bokoblin held her in place when his hands left her so he could investigate.

Ganondorf moved to the next cell and started to laugh.

“Oh, it’s _this_ boy again. I was beginning to miss you.”

“Well, here I am,” Link’s cocky voice echoed through the quiet dungeon. When the Demon King was here, all was quiet.

“Let him out for a moment,” Ganondorf said. “I want to see my masterpiece. Perhaps it will give this _child_ some sense of what happens to those who disobey me and live.”

Zelda shook fearfully at Ganondorf’s piercing gaze that froze her in place. A moblin went into the cell, followed by two soldiers. There were several scrapes of the chain before a young man was dragged out.

Zelda gasped, covering her mouth as she looked at him.

He had no shirt, though the rivers of blood that caked his chest acted as one, no shoes, and tattered pants. Unhealed wounds were scattered all across his body, from his face, to his neck, his chest, his arms, even through the pants on his legs.

But amidst all the red, his blue eyes shone out defiantly as they stared at Ganondorf. He took the boy’s chin in his hand, his knuckles turning white with force. Link grimaced, but didn’t look away.

“Care for another lesson in humility, boy?” he hissed, his hand resting on a knife in his belt.

Link shrugged as best he could, though he was being held up by the two soldiers on either side of him. “Humility? And here I thought I was displaying these scars with pride. Which of us is the fool in this case, then?”

Link’s eyes finally flickered to Zelda. She was sure she’d made a noise by accident that had drawn his attention. He stared at her, his eyes drinking her in before he could be tossed back into his cell and lose sight of her once again, putting a face to her voice. But his eyes narrowed suspiciously the longer he looked at her.

Ganondorf looked between them and made a face of his own, sensing something odd about the encounter. The Demon King kept his eyes on Zelda. He'd learned to read her better than this gnat of a prisoner. 

Then, he let out a cry of pain.

Link was pressed against Ganondorf, having feigned his physical dependence and waited for an opening. Something was clenched in his fist, pressed into Ganondorf’s skin.

The Demon King forced Link back into the bars and wrapped his fingers tightly around his throat. He squeezed until Link was at the edge of consciousness, gurgling as he fought to breathe, his eyes rolling back into his head.

“Stop!” Zelda screamed, though she was held back.

Ganondorf let go of Link, albeit only to grab _her_ again. “You do not command me. Do you understand?”

She nodded quickly, feeling his rage in the tightness of his grip and needing him to slacken his hold on her throat before he crushed her to death.

Looking between the two again as they both gasped for breath, Ganondorf adjusted his cape and pulled the object that Link had stabbed him with from his side. A giant nail-like spike. Ganondorf could see the chain in the cell had been pulled off the wall, and he scoffed, tucking the spike into his belt. “Put her in there with him. Let her look at what happens to those foolish enough who fight to oppose me.”

Someone dragged Zelda inside, holding her still while Link was pulled inside by the hair and forced flat against the wall as his arms were pulled up and chained to a different, more secure spot that had _very_ little slack just above his head.

“Bring them some water,” Ganondorf said with a smile.

Zelda watched on, curious as two buckets filled with water were brought in. Ganondorf grabbed a guard, whispered something in his ear, and watched him run off. He waited with his shimmering eyes on both Link and Zelda’s burning ones.

The guard returned moments later with several things and tossed them into the cell. Zelda looked quickly and saw rags and some food. Mostly disgusting food, but food nonetheless.

The guards only released their hold on Zelda just before locking the cell.

Ganondorf leaned against the bars and lowered his voice to a growl, so low that Link couldn't hear, but Zelda could. With a wicked smirk, he bared his sharp teeth. “I want you to take care of this kid. Don’t let him die, _Zelda_. You can't help but care for even the most pathetic rats in Hyrule. And when I come back for you, if you don't give me my kingdom, I'll kill him in front of you, like all the others. It will be slow, and I'll make this _soldier_ beg to be killed. I'll tear his lungs from his body while he breathes. I'll bring him to the brink of death and back, again and again until you give me what I want. And if you don't break with this boy, I'll make you grow close to another in the dungeons. And another. And another. And each death will be on your conscience. Or, better yet, tell him or the others who you are. I'll rip out their tongues and _then_ kill them. So, do it. Take care of him. He only has you for help, or he’ll die of dehydration soon, so make your decision quickly. Or, would you rather let him die, like you let your family die?”

Zelda brazenly strode up against the bars of the cell, mere inches from where the Demon King stood. “Letting him die of thirst before meeting your blade is a kindness, not a punishment. I fail to see your logic.”

Ganondorf reached his hand between the bars to lightly grab a piece of her blonde hair, letting it fall as she jerked away from him. “And you fail to see that your kindness and your heart are your greatest weaknesses.” He lowered his voice again to ensure no others could hear him. “It’s what would have made you an excellent ruler in your world. But _not_ in mine.”


	3. Chapter 3

“You can let me die, you know,” Link said easily, though his voice was still raspy from the crushing fingers of the Demon King.

Zelda took a deep breath, _wishing_ that were true. It would spare him so much pain later. And she couldn’t deny that she already liked the spirit of this soldier, endearing him to her almost immediately.

“You were a soldier for the Royal Family?” she asked, not looking at him yet.

“I was, yes.”

She bit her cheek. “Then I can’t leave you to die. I’m sorry.”

He attempted to smile, but it turned into a pained grimace. “Who’d have ever thought that sentence would be uttered as a negative thing?”

She finally turned to him and crossed her arms, heartache and anger for the poor soldier flushed her skin. She could barely see what he looked like with how dirty and caked in blood he was. “What did you really do to deserve such horrible treatment? There are other soldiers in here, but they aren’t chained to a wall or covered in their own blood. And it can’t be because you just stabbed him.”

This time, he choked out a laugh. “I personally fought the Demon King during the final battle for Hyrule and injured him pretty badly. I was just here to deliver a message to the castle commander from where I was stationed, and all hell broke loose.”

“You injured him? Where?”

“His left leg. But he had far too many followers, and I didn’t stand a chance. He wanted me to suffer.”

Though she tucked away that piece of information in her mind for now, Zelda let out a harsh sigh. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

“Don’t be,” he said. “I’d do it all again, even knowing where I ended up.”

Backing over to the pile of things that had been dumped into the cell, she saw an apple, the water, rags, and something that looked both edible and inedible at the same time. “So, which do you want most? Water, the apple, or to get some of that blood off you?”

His foot tapped as he stared at all of it. “As much as I’m dying for a drink, I haven’t eaten in a while.”

“I can bring both over,” she said with a soft smile. The longing in his voice was obvious. She dropped them both on the ground and held the ladle to his mouth. “If you don’t drink first, you might choke.”

“I won’t argue,” he chuckled, drinking greedily.

She grabbed the apple and held it up to him, watching his eyes widen at the sight, but he turned away. “You go ahead.”

Shaking her head, she didn’t move her hand. “They fed me this morning. Eat the whole thing.”

He eyed her suspiciously. “Yeah?”

“Yes, so please.”

Taking a bite of the juicy apple had Link’s eyes rolling into the back of his head as if it were some aphrodisiac. He let out a low moan as he chewed, savoring every bite.

“How long have you been here?” Zelda asked, watching him.

“Is time still a real thing?” he asked, swallowing. She held out the apple again and he made a face at her. “I’m sorry you have to do this.” He shook the chain above his head for good measure.

He took another bite and she shrugged. “I don’t _have_ to. But I don’t mind. It’s not as if I have somewhere else to be.”

He chuckled and rolled his eyes in agreement.

When he was finally done, she tossed the core to the ground and wiped her hand against her skirt. She wasn’t wearing anything regal, and it was easy to mistake her for a common, but pretty, peasant. Even her hair was wild and tangled, not the neat, straight, styled look she usually appeared out in public in. She lacked the wear and weather of a real peasant, but in the dungeon lighting, she was passable and unrecognizable to anyone who hadn’t seen her on a daily basis.

When she went to grab the rag, she heard Link grumble a protest.

“You don’t have to. I’ve been like this for a while. I don’t even notice. Besides, we’ll need that water, and it’ll take far more than two buckets to get this off of me.”

She held up the rag. “Well, I don’t want to look at your bloody face at least, if that’s okay?”

He sighed. “Sure.”

She dumped as much water into their drinking-water bucket as she could and then dunked the rag into the lesser-filled one before pressing it to Link’s face.

He closed his eyes and let out a harsh sigh. At first, she thought she’d injured him.

“Sorry, I haven’t felt water in some time. I forgot.”

“Oh,” she said, continuing when she was sure he wasn’t in pain.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “This can’t be fun for you: food, water, blood. I swear, I d—”

She shushed him. “Stop apologizing, please. Believe it or not, I’m actually used to this, so don’t think yourself special.”

“You’ve done this before?” he asked skeptically, looking pointedly at their surroundings.

She grinned at him, but her face fell as she remembered. “Yes. I volunteered to go out to Hyrule Field when the fighting first started. Though I’m no surgeon, I was taught to stitch and clean a wound, clean the blood and grime off of soldiers, feed those who couldn’t feed themselves, and get them drinks when their lips had gone raw. I did that for the entire length of the war until I was forced to… return home. Admittedly, you’re looking pretty bad, but you’re not the worst I’ve seen. You did give me a fright when you first came out, though. I wasn’t expecting it.”

His expression softened. “In that case, I _know_ you’ve seen far worse than anyone should ever see. The last few battles on the field were massacres.”

She hummed her agreement and continued in silence, focused on her work, though she could feel his eyes on her.

“You look familiar,” he said finally.

She didn’t falter. “Were you ever stationed on Hyrule Field? Perhaps you saw me there.”

He scoffed. “I think I’d remember you. I was on the Field the whole time, but I never ended up injured enough to get to a medical area.”

“Well,” she tried again, dunking the rag, “I lived just off of Castle Town. Did you live there, or did you ever go there?”

“I was there often,” he admitted, his expression suggesting that he’d resigned himself to that as his answer. “Who _are_ you?” he asked this time. “Why is Ganondorf himself interested in you?”

This one had her smile tighten. “I lived in the castle, actually. I technically worked there. Hyrule Field was not my real job, just a place I volunteered. I’d imagine he needs something from me, given my closeness to the Royal Family.” No lies there.

Stepping away, she could finally see his face clearly. He was surprisingly handsome under the blood. There were still deep cuts on his face that she’d taken care to clean, but it didn’t diminish his attractiveness. In any other situation, she might have found herself self-conscious beside him.

With a half-smile, she dunked the cloth again and looked pointedly at his chest then back at him, silently asking permission to continue her work.

“No, you really don’t have to.”

“I swear, I’ve done this for far more injured men than you. Unfortunately, I’ve seen more blood than this. And your wounds really should be cleaned.”

He narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

Crossing her arms, she raised an eyebrow. “Is it your pride? Or, could you possibly _enjoy_ being covered in your own dry blood?”

“Shut up,” he jested and rolled his head away with a nod, allowing her to help.

She couldn’t help but smile a little bit. He was uncomfortable, and it was clear why when her finger accidentally brushed the skin of his abdomen and he sucked in a sharp breath, stifling back a soft groan, keeping his eyes off of her before he could manage a muttered apology.

She shrugged it off. Not the first time that’s happened either.

As much as she tried to focus on this one soldier in front of her, her mind raced back to the hundreds she’d helped attend to. She was no warrior princess, but she had seen battle.

There was one particular man she remembered vividly. He’d been shorter, thinner, younger. Someone who physically wasn’t meant to fight. He was about to lose what was left of his arm, and all he kept was to return to the fight. The least she could do was hold him down and whisper the kindest words she could find through his screams.

Releasing Link from his mild torment after she’d nearly finished, Zelda tossed the rag into the bucket and took a step away from him. Though he was still fairly covered in blood, she could tell he needed to breathe without her near him.

“You look much better,” she admitted. Truly, he did, and he had the body to match his face. When not covered in blood, his body was so clearly that of an active soldier, if a bit thinner than usual. His arms betrayed him as well, despite being chained above his head. She wondered, if they could find the leverage, if he had the strength to pull his chain straight from the cell wall. He looked like he could have in the past.

“Do you know how to pick a lock?” she asked, eyeing the iron chain that went from the wall to his wrists.”

He followed her gaze and shook his head. “I was a soldier, not a spy.” After another moment of silence, he cleared his throat. “Thank you. I don’t know what I can do to properly thank you for your kindness.”

Zelda shrugged and sat down, gazing out the cell’s bars. “Honestly? I’ve been in isolation for some time now and I thought I was going to go absolutely insane. I spoke with my guards, but most of them were… violent. So if you want to thank me… a simple conversation is good enough.”

“Okay, Zelda,” he said easily, drifting as far forward as his chains allowed. “Tell me something about yourself? What’s your favorite color?”

She scoffed. “Is that the most interesting question you could come up with? It’s purple. What’s yours?”

He repaid her kindness with a conversation that lasted for hours. It ranged from every topic under the sun until Zelda had drifted off to sleep. And Link realized that a simple conversation wasn’t just a kindness to her, but to him as well.


	4. Chapter 4

“You couldn’t have been!” Zelda said with a soft laugh. “There’s no way I believe you right now.”

Link chuckled with her. “Well, I find that offensive. Do you doubt me, or you doubt my talents?”

She crinkled her nose, not wanting to answer that.

It made Link’s eyebrows raise up before he balked. “Well fine then. Doubt me.”

Zelda walked over to the stale bread they’d been given and tore off a piece of mold, flicking it out of the cell. “I will doubt you. There’s no way you were on that mountain with a goat in the rain. It’s not possible.” After taking a bite, she held it out for Link. He took his share and she put it back, saving it for later.

“Next time,” he said while chewing, “don’t ask me what the weirdest thing I’ve ever done was. You’ll get a far less interesting story, like yours was.”

She scoffed and stood against the bars of the cell so she could have a good look at him. “Mine _was_ interesting! How many people eat a living cricket on a dare?”

“A lot of people.”

“Have you?”

He snorted. “Not a cricket, but I’ve eaten a decent sized beetle.”

She couldn’t help but make a face. “I hate that that’s not the weirdest thing you’ve ever done.”

“Oh Zelda,” he cooed playfully, “The stories I could tell you!”

“You’d think that after two days of talking, you might start to run low on stories.”

But Link grinned. “You doubt me again. I’m feeling quite hurt.”

“You’ll survive,” she laughed.

He nodded, but she could see him wince as he moved his arm slightly. “Can I do anything?” she asked.

He cleared his throat and hung his head almost pathetically towards her. “Yes, actually, but I’m hesitant to ask.”

“Well, now I’m all too curious,” she said, crossing her arms.

He nodded and looked away. “I have an itch on my nose that’s been bothering me forever.”

She made an exasperated face and rolled her eyes as she moved to stand in front of him. “Why didn’t you just say so? Pride again?”

“Isn’t it strange to ask someone you only recently met to scratch your nose?”

Thinking about it, she realized it was. But she looked pointedly at his bound hands. “You’re an exception, I think: extenuating circumstances and all. Where about?”

He motioned with his eyes to the left side of his nose. “Did you ever have to do this for the wounded you treated?”

“Admittedly, no. This is a first.” She let her fingernail scratch his skin, but she couldn’t help but laugh. “Stop staring at me. You’re right, this is strange and you’re making it worse.”

His lips tipped up, and he looked awkwardly off to the side.

Then, she heard him suck in air, like he was in pain.

She backed away, holding her hands up. “Did I just hurt you?” she looked to see if her nails had cut his skin, but there was nothing there.

“No,” he said, letting out a harsh laugh. “No. You’ll think I’m insane though.”

She dropped her hands, far less concerned. “Well, I already think that, so go ahead.” She watched his neck redden, her curiosity growing with every passing moment.

He made a face, deciding to just go for it. “I’ve been in here for a while. And I didn’t realize it until just now, but I haven’t felt _anything_ but these chains for a while now. Your hand just leaned against me and I _swear_ I forgot what someone else felt like. My brain didn't remember what in the nine hells skin felt like.”

Curiously, Zelda found herself taking a step forward. “I’ve been beaten, dragged, thrown around… but I think…” she held out her hand, asking for silent permission. He nodded, and she put her hand against his cheek. He stiffened, as if her touch could have hurt him if he'd moved. She couldn’t help the soft laugh that came from her mouth as she remembered the forgotten sensation as well. It was calming, and her hand warmed over the skin of his cheek. “I think I know what you mean. How long have we been here?”

Link started to relax under her still touch. “I have no idea. Your hand is soft. You... you're not a servant, are you?"

She wanted to pull away, to retreat to the safety of the opposite corner so he couldn't look into her eyes and see the fear of potentially being found out. But something held here there. "You're assuming that from my just my hand?"

"If you could feel mine, it's calloused and hard because I am not allowed days off from work. _That's_ what a servant's hands feel like. I might not serve in a fancy castle, but I've worked physical labor my whole life. Yours is... are you a noble?" he asked, waiting for her to fill in a validation or not. Instead, she just shifted uncomfortably under his stare. 

She was careful not to brush up against his bare chest. There came a point where her instincts from years of proper etiquette and propriety took over, keeping her a respectable distance away.

But she had no problem indulging in a harmless moment. She let her fingers run along the light scruff on his jaw, changing the subject with the added ease of distraction. “I always wondered if this was something that made you itchy. Does it?”

He bit his lip and turned into her hand, lowering his voice. “It does _now_ , Zelda.”

“Sorry,” she said with an unapologetic smile.

“I’m sure, you are,” he chuckled sarcastically, feeling her fingers move up to his hair. He practically choked. “You’re not even being kind anymore; you’re just having fun.”

She grinned lightheartedly. “Well, there’s nothing else to do.”

“Oh, I can think of some things that are pretty fun,” he laughed, his eyes playful and mischievous.

Pulling her hand away, Zelda shook her head, smiling. “Nice try.”

He looked her over for a minute, noting how she took a deliberate step away from him before he adjusted his arms. “If I ever actually say something that makes you uncomfortable, just let me know. I’ll stop.”

She spun on her heels to look back at him, crossing her arms with a light laugh. “There are far worse things in this world than having an attractive man attempt to seduce me in a dark and dank dungeon.”

“Did it work?” he asked with a wriggle of his eyebrows.

That got a full-on laugh from her, one that he joined in on just because of how contagious hers was.

“No, it didn’t.”

She wouldn’t admit it, but she _was_ growing attached to Link. He had a way about him that was defiant and spirited, but also kind and charming. And he spoke to her in a way no one ever had, and she found herself liking her anonymity more than she'd ever realized she would. When people know you’re the princess, they become a lot more formal and reserved. His unabashed comments over the past few days, his easy charm, despite being chained to a wall, the easy way they talked about anything, the looks he’d sometimes give her… she realized that in this short time, she had feelings for him.

Perhaps it was because they spent every single moment together, or their shared traumatic experiences, but she was closer to this soldier than to some of the people she’d lived with in the palace.

She was sure he’d figured out she was hiding something bigger than where she worked. That wasn’t in doubt. She would answer very few questions about home, and fewer about what her family was like. She’d describe her life at the castle while leaving out all the important details that would give her away, but it was those details that he’d notice and latch onto.

She had a terrible feeling that if she stayed with Link much longer, she’d most certainly slip and reveal who she was.

And that slip would cost not only his tongue, but his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slight reprieve from the doom and gloom of the dungeons! Also, as much as I'd love to write their conversations every day, I'm just going to do a smidge of jumping here and in the next chapter just to skip time forward.


	5. Chapter 5

No matter how many nights passed-- though, in truth, she’d lost all sense of day and night—she could not get used to the pain she felt for Link whenever he fell asleep. He stood up for every hour of the day, and when he slept, his body leaned forward, pulling at his arms until he woke up with a pained grunt. She imagined that he hadn’t slept for more than a few hours total since she’d met him.

His arms were ghostly white, his wrists bloodied from the friction of the chain, and his legs numb from their constant use. There were times when she could hear him breathing heavily just from the effort of standing.

“What can I do?” she’d asked initially. But there was nothing that she could do in this case but to keep his strength up by helping him to drink the water they were provided, and to help him eat. Guards had tossed food into their cell at the Demon Lord’s request.

So, as she watched his body betray him yet again for who knows how many nights in a row, forcing him awake in pain while he tried to sleep, she had to roll over, to look away. But his muffled groans had her springing to her feet, unable to take it anymore.

“Tell me what to do!” she practically yelled at him.

He grimaced and shook his head. “Nothing.”

"There can't be _nothing._ I have never been so powerless in my life! There must be something. I have to do _something._ "

Without warning, she grabbed his bare shoulder, feeling around at the bone almost too aggressively. 

“Whoa, gods, Zelda, what are you doi—ahhh!” he hissed as she found a gap that definitely shouldn’t be there.

“Your shoulder is dislocated.”

“I’m hardly surprised,” he muttered through gritted teeth, blinking the pain back.

He could now recognize her single-minded stare by this point, an expression she often got while talking about escape, the ways Link had done it in the past, and ways to do it again. She glared up at the chain in the wall on cue, confirming his suspicions about where her brain was at. Her eyes flickered around it, thinking a mile a minute. “I’m too short to reach it.”

He looked her over pointedly, and she glared at him. But he smiled half-heartedly. “You can’t pull it out of the wall. You’re not _physically_ strong enough. Though, if it was a battle of wills that kept me here, you’d win with ease.”

She began to pace, and he was sure she’d missed his compliment. Her eyes were now on the hallway rather than the chains. “When Ganondorf comes back here, I can try to get you released. Surely he could do that if I give him just the smallest bit of hope.”

“What makes you so sure he’ll come back?” he asked, desperate for answers from her. She was the most cryptic person he’d ever met. “You keep saying that he’s coming back, but to me, we’re both already dead and he’s just prolonging it for his own amusement. We need something else, _someone_ else. Eventually, they will put another person in here. These cells keep getting crowded.”

“Oh,” she snickered. “He’ll be back. Trust me.”

“That’s rich,” Link muttered, finally reaching a breaking point. Zelda turned to him, looking genuinely insulted. Link just nodded. “You and I have been here talking for days and there’s still something you aren’t saying. You want me to trust you, but you don’t trust me.”

Zelda strode up to him, and he stood up just a little bit taller as she did, staring down at her with a glare that matched hers. He was taller, more muscular, and battle hardened, but he couldn’t help but feel intimidated by her in some ways. She had an air about her, one that commanded attention, respect, and a healthy dose of fear.

“I’m keeping you alive in more ways than just giving you water, Link. If I tell you what you want to hear, you’ll die, and I can’t do anything about that.”

“I’m not afraid to die,” he countered.

She scoffed. “You are _such_ a soldier. Needlessly dying shouldn’t be embraced by anyone but a person who is surrounded by evidence of a life lived to its fullest. I have no intention of dying here, Link, and neither should you.”

“You know what, Zelda? I do trust you. Isn’t that funny? I trust you every time you take a step in my direction. Do I look like I’m in any position of power here? I’m chained to a wall. If you wanted to escape, do you know what you could do? You could kill me. They’d have to take my body out to make room for someone else in here. You’d have an opportunity.”

“Is that what you think of me?” she asked, her voice rising higher. “You think that I’d kill you to escape?”

“Of course not! But you should. You—you’re not a commoner. That much is clear. You’re _someone_. I’m just a soldier. My job is to die for the citizens of Hyrule if need be. So, you _should_ do it. You _should_ get out of here.”

Zelda crossed her arms and stayed planted directly in front of him. “Do you know what I liked about you, Link? That you were a light in this dark prison. I didn’t know that your hope would be so easily snuffed out.”

He scoffed. “That’s not it. You know that’s not it.”

“I don’t know. Enlighten me.”

Link stared at her for a moment before shaking his head. “Forget it.”

Zelda finally took a few steps away from him, needing to look away. After days of being stuck with Link as her primary person to talk to, she’d known there would be a breaking point. They were both two forces of contention. But she also knew that she didn’t want to lose the easy relationship they'd built. The debates they’d had all night, and the stories they’d tell during the day kept her going. She had someone with her in this wretched predicament, and she didn't want to stay angry at the one person she was in this situation with.

“I don’t think I told you about my family,” she muttered, resolving that he needed to hear something, _anything,_ from her, even if it was only the truth without details. 

“No, you didn’t,” he said, watching her curiously. For her abrupt and serious topic change, he knew this was something she needed to get out without any sarcastic comments.

With a deep, steadying breath, she moved to stand beside him, staring at the wall to her right. The wall morphed before her until she could see the castle throne room instead. She could see her, her father, her mother, and her younger sister standing behind the final wave of guards meant to defend them as Ganondorf and his men entered the room. She could feel her grip around her sword tighten, though she didn’t know how to use it. Her sister looked like a child playing dress-up in her armor.

“They were all murdered in front of me,” she finally said.

Her eyes unfocused again, and she could see Ganondorf’s forces overwhelm their guards, tossing them to the floor like rags. She could feel her mother’s hand grab her wrist in one hand, and her sister’s in the other, leaving the King behind to offer her children a final chance to escape. She dragged them into the room behind the throne. And Zelda could feel that same hand be torn away from her, nails scratching her palm in a final, desperate attempt to hold on.

“My parents were killed first. They were too strong-willed, and Ganondorf knew that they would never give him what he wanted from them. So, he killed my mother, and let my father have one more opportunity to change his mind. When he didn’t, he was killed as well.

“I held on to my sister so hard that I must have bruised her. They tried to figure out which of us to kill, and I tried to keep her alive… I tried to…”

She had to stop, feeling the burn of tears in her eyes as she fought them back and turned to Link. For some reason, just his presence was enough to ground her, to remind her that it was a memory, and not something that was happening in front of her eyes once again. And it reminded her of her harsh predicament, and the dire consequences she could face if she let herself feel that pain even a little bit. 

He was looking at her with a soft expression. “I won’t judge you if you need to cry,” he said, watching her fight the battle to keep them in her eyes.

Blinking, only one tear escaped before the rest remained under her control.

Her sister had been killed because she’d been too young. The throne would have gone to a regent, and her sister would have no legal right to cede it over to Ganondorf. It left Zelda as the sole survivor of her family’s massacre.

Even in the relative safety of the cell, she could still feel the hands that pressed her against the wall, holding her there as she thrashed and fought to break free before the blade could crash down. She could see Ganondorf’s wicked, triumphant smile. And that’s when she knew she could _never_ let him win. They thought that her sister’s death would break her, but it had only strengthened her resolve. If only the Demon Lord knew that if he’d only spared her sister, Zelda would have given him all the power in the world.

But she sniffed and turned her focus back to Link. “I won’t let you die, Link, if I can help it.”

“Zelda,” Link said, his face changing from one of sorrow and empathy to something more similar to hope. “Maybe it’s not _me_ who needs to die. Maybe it’s _you._ ”

She stepped away from him. “Excuse me?”

“Hang on,” he said, grabbing the chain above his head and pulling.

Zelda watched his arms strain as he lifted his legs off the ground and pulled them up to his chest, grunting in the pain it caused his body. He let them fall, panting and sweating from the effort.

She made a face, beyond confused, and mildly concerned by his random action and statement.

“I have a plan,” he said with a smile.


	6. Chapter 6

Link gripped the small chain above his head and leaned back against the wall, savoring his energy. His eyes rested on Zelda.

She was on the ground, face down and hair splayed. Her leg looked like it had collapsed under her, and her hands were reaching out across the ground for anything at all. She wasn’t too far from him. If he kicked his foot out, he’d be able to touch her.

The dungeon burst into erratic shouts as they did every time the guards brought food and water to the prisoners. And when the guard arrived at their cell, he dropped the bucket, splashing the water all across the floor as it crept down the dungeon hall in a long river.

“What happened?” 

Link looked over at the guard with hooded eyes, the eyes of a man who had no strength left. “She fell and I can’t wake her.” He lowered his voice, letting it croak. “Please! Help her.”

The guard hurriedly reached for his keys. Though most of the guards didn’t know who she was, they knew that Ganondorf had instructed them to ensure her survival at any cost for the information she held. Only his closest advisors and guards knew her identity and the danger her death created for Ganondorf's "reign."

“Get the King!” the soldier shouted down the hallway before finally sliding the key into the lock. No other guards were with him, as the rest had gone to inform their Ganondorf of the situation.

He bent over her body, moving the hair from her face and placing his finger under her nose to feel for breath.

“Oh gods, he's going to kill me! I’m dead! I’m dead!” he began to hiss, shoving her body harshly, as if her death were the worst thing that could happen to _him_.

But Link let out a pained cry as he pulled himself up from the chain and at once, the man fell backwards.

Zelda knew her cue and sat up, pushing the man closer to Link, keeping him on his knees near Link with all the strength she had. Her job was to keep the guard in the crook of Link’s knee, while he suffocated the guard without being able to use his arms.

It was much harder than strangling someone with his arm, and the only leverage Link had was his ability to hold himself up on the chain. The pain from his dislocated arm, the strain on his body, and the force he had to apply to the squirming man had Link screaming out as if his own arm were being torn off. Zelda let out her own cry of effort as she held on. The cells were loud, screaming along with them, though they had no clue what was happening. 

But finally, the guard stilled, and Link let go, hanging limply against the chains again.

“Go!” Link hissed, gesturing to the open cell door.

Zelda turned for it, but she couldn’t do it. She couldn't just leave him here to be killed for her escape. Instead, she grabbed the keys from the guard’s belt and stood on the tips of her toes pressed against Link for balance as she tried the few keys in the lock that bound him to the wall

“No!” he grunted, twisting so she fumbled and couldn’t stay balanced. “Get out of here!”

She returned with a scowl as she tried the next key, and he lowered his forehead to hers, pushing her backwards with whatever strength he could.

“Get out, Zelda.”

She looked up at him and moved her head away, allowing her to return to her toes without his resistance. “This one is the last one!” she said, sliding it in with ease. But before she could turn it, the door at the end of the hall opened with a bang.

Zelda glanced back at the door and hurried to grab the key from the cell, pulling the single cell key off the ring that held it. She slid the two useful keys into Link’s hands and tossed the useless ring back onto the guard to avoid suspicions.

Link’s face was incredulous as he watched her, stunned that she had wasted her escape on him.

“You’re a soldier,” she said hurriedly, hearing the footsteps grow louder. “Escape. Find Prince Daltus and join his army. Then come back here and kill the usurper.” She backed away with a look that said she _knew_ she wasn't about to get out, but she wanted to draw their attention from Link and the keys, so she ran out of the cell, away from the approaching footsteps.

Link watched as Ganondorf and several guards raced past his cell.

“Zelda!” Link called, but it was lost under the loud calls from every other cell.

Link could hear a sharp scream and several thuds. He fumbled with the key in his hand, trying to fiddle it into the lock and stopped. As much as he wanted to break free and help her, it would make her sacrifice in vain. He’d be captured immediately or killed, as would Zelda.

Instead, he felt at the wall behind him. Somewhere, he knew there was a small gap in the stones that was just large enough to slide the keys in. He found it just before two guards ran back his way and peered into the open cell.

Then, Ganondorf appeared behind them, Zelda’s thin wrist was clutched in the Demon King’s hand, dragging Zelda along the ground like a rag. Her blonde hair was red with blood, and her eyes were closed.

He stopped to give Link a sick smile. Ganondorf raised Zelda’s arm up so Link could see her unconscious form better. “Looks like we won’t be needing you today. Guards, take care of this mess.” Ganondorf chuckled treating Zelda no better than a child wildly swinging a doll. “She might get her wish after all. You've earned a reprieve. You’ll escape the sword if you die of dehydration. But if she doesn't break in the next few days, you can expect to find me back here. And if you believe in the Hylian gods, you'd best start praying to them now.”

Link struggled against the chain in anger, but Ganondorf let out a full laugh this time and continued walking, leaving the guards to take away the strangled soldier's body and the discarded, useless keyring without a second glance back.

* * *

Zelda awoke to a throbbing headache and blurry eyes that wouldn’t clear with just a few blinks. But she could see the massive shadowy form in front of her, and she hurried to back away, only to find herself already pinned against a wall.

Ganondorf’s smile was the first thing she could see. It was sickening, sharp, cold.

“Princess Zelda. I’ve thought many things about you, but ‘murderer’ is not one that would have crossed my mind. And a fruitless murder, at that. How does that feel?”

Taking a deep breath to fight back her headache, Zelda rested against the wall. “Is it still considered murder if we’re at war?”

He hummed and grabbed her by the arm, hoisting her to her feet.

“Will you give me this kingdom?”

Zelda blanched. “You know that answer.”

“I figured as much.”

And with a hard shove, Zelda felt herself falling, crashing several times against something hard until a shooting pain raced from her feet to her legs, burning with the pain of a hard landing on her feet.

But it was dark, and she couldn’t see, could barely move. Her arms had just enough room to come up and feel the wall in front of her, and she took a small step back, feeling another wall behind her.

Breath hitching, she dared to move her arms to the sides. Walls.

She looked up at the one beam of dim light from above. Ganondorf’s face covered it as he leaned down and laughed at her panicked expression.

“I told you you’d like your new cell. You’ll be _begging_ me to let you out of there. But I’ll only let you out for an execution, or when you give me _my_ kingdom.”

“No!” she shouted, banging against the wall in genuine fear. She couldn’t move, couldn’t sit, couldn’t see. “No!” she tried again.

There was a harsh scraping noise as he slid a grated cover over the hole and stared down at her one last time before leaving her.

She shook and took a deep breath, steeling herself for a battle that she knew could now only fight from within herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zelda's cell is based on the oubliette, which (to me) absolutely looks worse than the chokie from Matilda.


	7. Chapter 7

The thing Zelda had learned to hate first was the sound of her own breathing. It echoed in the small chamber incessantly. For that, she was both grateful and wished that she could just _stop._

The second thing she learned to hate were her legs. She felt an immense wave of empathy and admiration for Link, who had stood up for longer than she had and hadn’t verbally complained to her often. But her legs caused her to whimper, and her head scraped the stone each time they gave out and sent her crashing against one of the walls. There wasn’t enough room for her to collapse all the way down, and she was caught by the room’s tightness around her. But a desperate need for sleep and throbbing pain had her crashing all too often, and she almost wished for a chain to hold her upright as Link had.

She’d taken to humming when she could. She thought of every song that had ever been sung to her and filled her ears with a noise that wasn’t her breath. If she could manage, her voice would occasionally squeak out the words to the songs. Often, they were peaceful lullabies that she could almost imagine being sung in her mother’s voice. Or they were the playful songs she’d run through the courtyard singing with her sister and her father.

Each time the door from the room above opened, she looked up immediately. She had learned far too late that it often meant something was about to be sent down to her. At first, it was a steady stream of water that she had to catch in her mouth through the darkness, but it was at least two days since someone had offered her that.

She’d had just enough room to catch the one piece of bread in her hands before it hit the floor and was out of her reach. She had barely enough room to bring her hands all the way to her mouth, nibbling on the bread sparingly to last her a few days. But that too was gone now.

She always looked up now, since the one time she’d been just late enough to feel something land on her head. Something… _alive_. Though she’d managed to maintain her dignity in the face of torture and questioning, her refusal to beg or scream, _that_ had caused her to panic. She’d thrashed her head against the wall with a high-pitched scream, banging it harshly into the stone. When the creature fell off her head, she felt its long, hairy legs against her own ankle, she managed to brush it off with her other foot and step down on every space she could. She hadn’t felt it since, and assured herself that it was dead and not resting on top of her skirt.

The guards would also kick some of the rubble from the room down into the small cell. Little rocks pelted her, and she imagined that her hair had to be layered with dust, dirt, and debris.

Her stomach had given up growling, begging her for food. Her dry mouth only offered her the comfort of song through sheer will. There wasn’t enough water or saliva in her to allow her to sing or hum without burning her raw throat. Her throbbing head was the evidence of the beating it had taken, by the guards and by her own thrashing.

And the only escape she had left was the one in her mind.

In the safest corners she had left, she imagined her cousin could be close to the castle any day. His forces were great, however, so too had been Hyrule’s. But no, he would succeed. Ganondorf would be killed or captured for execution. She’d be found and would be given the time to grieve her losses, and to hold a proper funeral for the family that she could only imagine was displayed outside the castle walls as a warning.

She imagined that Link had made it to her cousin, Prince Daltus, and told them that the Princess was somewhere in the castle, as he’d told her the day they’d met. Her cousin would be riding out to find her now, to avenge his family, to take back her kingdom.

It gave her comfort to think of these possibilities. She’d rather not think of any others. She’d rather not think that Link had dropped the key she’d handed to him, or not been killed immediately. She’d like to think that her cousin would win, not that he could be just as easily slaughtered as her family had been. She didn’t want to think that she could die in this hole, surrounded by nothing but four walls and her drowned thoughts.

The door opened in the room above, and she looked up, waiting. Mostly, she hoped it was water, but she couldn’t see too well in the darkness that engulfed the room and her hole.

There were footsteps that wandered around for a few moments, heightening her anxiety, before they stopped above her head and a shadow overtook the hole.

If the figure was talking, she couldn’t hear it, but they moved the grate aside, disappearing for a moment, and she instinctively pressed herself as far back against the wall as she could, lest they drop something massive down the hole again. And they did drop something.

A rope.

She shimmied to get her arms in front of her and let her fingertips graze the twine. Looking up again, she could see the familiar hat that the figure wore. It was a soldier’s helmet. But not the kind her cousin’s men wore, the kind Ganondorf’s did.

Hesitating, she wondered briefly what kind of trap this could be. But then, she realized that no matter if it was or wasn’t, this was her only shot to get out of here.

She was incredibly weak, her head still screaming at her with every move she made. Wrapping the rope around her wrist for a better grip, she held on with every ounce of strength she could manage. The soldier pulled the rope up, grunting with effort, his foot inside the hole to push against the wall, giving him an extra boost of strength as he pulled.

When she was high enough, he kept the rope in only one hand and hoisted her up with the other, pulling her from the hole and onto the hard metal armor of his lap.

She whimpered as she moved her legs for the first time and stretched her arms only far enough to cradle her throbbing head. She couldn’t look at the soldier; even the dark room was too bright after the nothingness of that hole.

She had to focus, focus on _something_. Though she tried to sit up, she didn’t realize just how much lying down would cause her back to scream out in pain. She hissed and didn’t try to move. The soldier hadn’t stabbed her yet, so this had to be something akin to a rescue. Either that, or Ganondorf was collecting her for an execution.

A hand rested on her head and she gasped, jerking away and rolling off the soldier. She didn’t realize just how close she came to rolling back into the hole until the soldier caught her and pulled her back.

She still couldn’t… her throat, her head, her legs, her spine… it all _burned_.

Eyes flickering around the room, her sights landed on a bucket that had the reflective glow of having water in it. She crawled off the soldier and toward the water, cupping it into her hands and slurping it a few times. The action hurt all parts of her body, but she drank greedily.

There was a soft thud, and her eyes slowly crept back to the soldier. First, she saw the helmet on the ground, and then, she let her eyes continue until they rested on the face of her rescuer. Her heart both leapt and sank all at once.

“Link?”


	8. Chapter 8

Her world was fuzzy still, but she moved closer and saw that her eyes weren’t deceiving her. Perhaps her mind was after days of solitude.

“Link?” she choked out again.

“It’s me,” he said, grinning halfheartedly.

“Why are you still here in the castle?” she hissed, though the words tore at her raw throat. She cleared it, though that did little more than agitate it further.

“I’ve been looking for you for the past two days,” he said, offering her his hand. “This isn’t the easiest room to find.”

“What?”

He shook his hand, imploring her to take it. “I’ll tell you later. Now, we have to get you out. I heard the Princess might be here, too. Any ideas about that?”

Zelda took his hand, but overestimated her legs, trying and failing to stand. She still wasn’t sure if it was from her obvious concussion, or her standing for several days. “I… I’m…” the world spun, and her eyes bugged out as she nearly collapsed from her hands and knees.

“Never mind,” Link said, pulling her back up.

She leaned heavily against him, but let go, trying to move on her own, without support. Her knee buckled and she felt Link break her fall, lowering her down slowly. He knelt beside her and picked up his helmet.

“Let me help you.”

“I can do this,” she whispered, maybe more to herself than to him.

He smirked at her and glanced at the door before holding his hand out again. “Is it your pride? Or do you just _enjoy_ falling over?”

She scoffed as he used her own words against her, but still looked hesitantly at his hand. She wanted to walk out of here on her own, but her head made it impossible.

Link didn’t budge. “You have four choices, Zelda. One, I can help you out of here slowly, but with all the dignity you want because you managed to walk on your own. Two, I can physically carry you out of here and you can maintain most of your dignity, because apparently you think you lose some if someone helps you. Three, I can carry you out of here over my shoulder, which is very sore because I think I popped it back in incorrectly and I’d rather not carry you out like that. Or, four, I can drag you out of here, because I’m not leaving this room without you. Which do you want?”

“We’ll get caught leaving in any of those ways.”

“I accidentally took care of that. We have a window.”

“Accidentally?”

“I’ll tell you that later, too.”

Zelda closed her eyes and winced in pain, as if her body were answering for her. “Fine. Help.”

He nodded and slid his arms under her legs and behind her back, picking her off the floor and adjusting her in his arms. She tried to lean on his shoulder—his good one—to take some of the weight off of him. And despite herself, her heavy head lolled onto his shoulder as well.

“We’ll be very obvious like this,” she pointed out.

“I know,” he muttered, walking quickly to the door. “I have an idea for that.”

Zelda’s breath hitched when he stopped to turn the knob. Her own eyes stared back at her from a mirror over his shoulder.

Her hair was matted down with blood from the day she’d run from the cell. The blonde strands were grey from the rubble that had fallen on her. Her entire face was bruised, her lip still swollen from the hard hit she’d received before she’d been rendered unconscious by the guards who’d caught her. She could see that her skirt had torn slightly from the friction of the confined space, and what hair wasn’t covered in blood was wild and tangled from her flailing to remove that creature from her head. Her lips were cracked and broken, parched dry, despite the water she’d just drank.

“Do I really look this bad?” she asked quietly.

Link’s hand was under her legs, on the door handle, but he stopped to look at her. “Yes,” he said quickly before pushing the door open and looking into the empty hallway.

“Thank you for your honesty,” she muttered.

He hurried through the long hallway and peeked into several rooms before ducking into one of them, setting Zelda down in a chair. He moved another chair under the door handle so anyone who tried to enter would at least struggle before bursting inside.

“What’s your plan?” she asked, watching him take things off a set table with a long, white linen covering the wood.

He only smirked at her, and she rolled her eyes, waiting. 

Pulling the cloth off the table, he knelt in front of her, his eyes resting on each of her injuries. “I created a distraction that will make this believable. What I want to do is to wrap this around you and carry you out to the field, as if you were my dead friend. A lot of the soldiers were killed.”

Her mouth dropped. “You have a morbid fascination with my death, Link. That's twice now you've killed me off.”

His eyes softened. “You don’t have to do this, after being in that… prison… we can think of something else.”

She took a breath, realizing what he meant. She’d be wrapped up, covered, unable to move, her breathing constricted by the sheet.

“Tell me one thing first,” she said, looking him over. She felt, more than anything, that she could trust him, but one thing nagged at her. “How did you acquire this uniform. Was it yours?”

He flinched, and she could see the genuine hurt that flickered in his eyes at the implication. “No, it wasn’t mine. When I got out, thanks to _you_ might I add, I killed a soldier and took his uniform. You’d believe me if you knew how tight this was on me. It’s not my size.”

She chuckled, despite herself and the situation.

He continued. “I used the uniform to sneak around undetected. I heard that ‘Ganondorf’s favorite prisoner’ was still alive in this wing of the castle somewhere, and I’ve just been looking, hoping they meant you.”

“You should have left. You should have found the Prince and joined his army.”

Link scoffed, his eyes glinting. “You didn’t leave me; I wasn’t going to leave you.”

Zelda felt her chest tighten at his words. He had no idea who she was, yet he was willing to risk his freedom to find her. It was something she was unaccustomed to. Sure, there were people who followed the royal family solely out of love and nothing more, but the majority of her guards gave their lives for her because it was their job, or because—when it came down to it—they were faced with the choice fighting for her, or dying at the hands of the enemy without putting up that final fight.

Link moved to stand, but he was interrupted.

“Wait, one more thing,” she said quickly. He nodded, waiting for her to continue. “You said the Princess might be here. You don’t want to try to find her?”

That stopped Link for a moment, and he bit his lip, thinking. “Of course, I do,” he said after a while. “But I don’t know where she is. And if I’d found her before finding you, I’d have dragged her through the castle until we found you. Why do you ask? Do _you_ want to find her?”

Zelda’s mouth opened and she made a noise, unsure if she was safe to tell him. But she just shook her head. “No. But, I heard a rumor that she was being rescued. I just didn’t know if you were going to try to find her.”

Link rested his hand on her knee and glanced back at the door uneasily. He looked like he wanted to say something else to her, but he held out the tablecloth. “Are you ready, or do you want to think of a different plan?”

Her eyes slid to Link’s waist, to the long sword that rested there, ready for use. She took a breath and nodded. She let him wrap her up until she was entirely covered and lying prone on the ground. She kept her eyes closed, imagining she was under the blankets of her once-room.

“Okay, Zelda,” he said, and she heard the draw of metal. “I’m going to cut my hand and put some blood on this, so it looks like you were stabbed or something. Is that okay with you?”

“Yeah, okay,” she breathed.

“I’m just going to let it drip around your waist.” She heard the slice from the blade, but not a hiss of pain. “Doing it now,” he warned.

She felt the drops hit the cloth and twitched before settling back into her calmer mind-space. She heard the chair from under the door drag and she was lifted back into his arms.

“This probably will be uncomfortable but try to stay limp. I’ll try to keep your head up, but if it falls, just let it hang until I can move you back.”

“Okay.”

She felt him chuckle. “Is that all you can say?”

She rolled her eyes as if he could see and shook her head. “Let’s get the nine hells out of here, Link.”


	9. Chapter 9

Link made his way through the halls that he’d become quite familiar with over the past few days. He kept his expression morbid, but the guards who did see him didn’t bat an eye. And when he rounded a corner, he could see that his plan had worked better than anticipated.

There were bodies, and soldiers wrapping them in shrouds. Some guards were moving them away, others, piling the bodies up. There were guards on their hands and knees cleaning blood off the ground. It was chaos.

“That one for the pyre?” a guard asked.

He could feel Zelda tense, so he tightened his grip on her in a silent reassurance.

“No. I’m going to the field to bury her.”

The guard gave him a strange look. “Why? The pyre is as good as the grave.”

Link snarled, stepping closer. “Yeah? How about I kill _your_ wife and then tell you the same thing?”

The man’s gaze loosened as he stared at Zelda’s covered body. “She was your… I’m sorry for your loss. Of course, go.”

Link went to move but stopped. “Did you kill the bastards who did this to everyone?”

The silence in the man’s response was answer enough. He finally cleared his throat. “Keep your sword ready, in here and out in Hyrule Field. They’re on the loose and they’re dangerous.”

“Not as dangerous as I can be,” he said easily before continuing walking.

He adjusted Zelda against him, easing her neck pain as she let it hang back over his arm.

His voice lowered, filling her in while they were alone in a corridor. “I opened every cell that key would fit in and let them loose. They went back and opened the rest.”

He could feel her nod in acknowledgement, though she didn’t dare speak.

Winding corridors, flights of stairs, even the clash of swords in the distance didn’t stop them from continuing. But what did freeze Link in his tracks was the sight of the raging Demon King himself. Link ducked around a corner, waiting.

“How many!” Ganondorf shouted at someone.

A much smaller, meeker voice responded. “We lost about twenty.”

There was a clatter as something was thrown in rage. “Kill the rest, now!”

Ganondorf stormed past Link, not even glancing in their direction, followed shortly by the other soldier.

Taking advantage of the moment, Link hurried until he ducked out the door that led into the light. Though, as he made it outside, he had to slow his pace, to match the others who were bringing bodies outside. He followed the line, like ants leading their colony to a piece of food. They made their way to a large fire in the middle of a clearing in the Field.

Link hissed as he looked around, eyes tearing up and burning in the sun after being so used to the darkness. It was the first time he'd seen Hyrule Field in some time. He had gone straight into the castle to fight Ganondorf, so he’d missed all the destruction that had ensued after the Demon King’s victory. The charred, grey remains of a once green landscape, the black, fallen trees, the constant fog, he hadn’t seen any of it until that moment.

He tightened his grip and veered off from the main group, picking up the pace until they were in a small, secluded area.

Setting Zelda down, he unrolled the fabric and let Zelda sit for a moment to catch her breath. He smoothed back some of her wild hair before looking around.

Her eyes weren’t focused, but the light irritated her more than she’d thought after being locked in the dark dungeons. She clutched her head and covered her eye, groaning.

“We’ll find potions,” Link assured her, helping her to her feet. “We’ll find a town first, though.”

“Hey!” someone called.

Link and Zelda spun at the approach of three soldiers. Link angled himself in front of Zelda but put an easy smile on his face. “Can I help you?”

“What are you two doing over here?”

Link snaked his arm around Zelda’s waist, pulling her closer. “My wife here was in the castle raid. Nearly got killed. But I found her, and I’m very grateful that she’s alive. I was just about to _show_ her how grateful I am. If you wouldn’t mind… oh, I don’t know, leaving?”

“Oh,” one of the men said, nodding after looking them both over. The other looked a bit jealous, but also backed away.

But the third watched them suspiciously. “No, wait.” Link’s arm unwrapped from Zelda and rested on the uniform sword at his waist. The man took another step closer, squinting. “She looks familiar. I know her but… ah! She’s Ganondorf’s little pet prisoner! She’s the one he always wants guarded!”

All three guards grabbed their swords, and Link pushed Zelda back a few paces before pulling his own out, dipping into a defensive stance.

“Should I start running?” Zelda muttered, looking at the burly soldiers.

But Link chuckled darkly, swinging the sword around in his hands for good measure. “They’re here for you, not me. I wouldn’t split up. One would try to keep me distracted, the other two would go for you. Don’t worry, I injured the Demon King. I wouldn’t count me out so quickly, ye of little faith.”

The three guards walked closer, swords up.

“Give me your knife, then.” Zelda said, spying one on the back of Link’s belt.

He reached back and pulled it out, handing it to her without ever looking away from the three approaching guards.

With a deep breath, Link checked where Zelda was one more time before three swords descended on him.

He deflected two immediately, giving him just enough time to force the third soldier backwards and out of sword’s reach. But the other two didn’t give him a moment to press any other opportunities.

All pain forgotten in the midst of a fight, Link kept his feet moving, never standing still for a moment. He knew from experience on the battlefield that he’d likely be dead quickly if he allowed the soldiers to get on either side of him, and he did everything to keep that from happening. Ducking and dodging, he parried several blows and tried to get a clear shot at any of them, though his openings were few. He felt distracted, continuing to look behind him at Zelda. She was wisely moving with him, staying a few paces away, but behind him, as if he was her shield.

Twisting downwards, Link managed to slice his blade deeply across one of the soldier’s legs, causing him to fall. Though he wasn’t dead, he was out of the picture for now, and Link could much easier focus on two opponents than three.

Testing the strength in his legs that he still hadn’t regained, he figured that he could run on momentum. With a steeled breath, he plowed his body into the closer guard and deflected his sword away, pushing the man against the other soldier. The other soldier had raised his sword defensively, and the blade ripped through his ally’s flesh rather than Link’s, though Link could feel the sting of the blade grazing the inside of his arm in the process.

Letting out a grunt of pain, Link shook out his arm and met the remaining soldier’s blows easily until his blade cut the man’s neck.

Link pushed his hair back and strode over to the injured man, finishing him off quickly, and then back to the other, stabbing him to ensure he’d died before turning back to Zelda.

She looked disgusted, but not horrified. “I will never get used to that,” she admitted as Link hurried back over to her. “You’re a good fighter.”

“I am,” he agreed, though it was surprisingly humble and almost regretful in tone, like he wished he were something else.

Zelda grabbed his arm, stopping him. “Link, you got me out of the castle. I can’t help but wondering what you’re going to do next?”

He sighed and grabbed his bleeding arm. “Look for a stream or a pond?”

“I’m serious.”

Taking a breath, he let it out slowly, considering. “I don’t know. Maybe to Prince Daltus’ army. What about you?”

“That’s where I’m going to go as well.”

He looked her over, his eyes stopping on how tightly she still gripped her knife. “Care for an escort? Though, you might be the one covering my back.” He reached slowly towards her hands and managed to loosen her grip on the knife.

But she quickly pulled it back with wide eyes. “Listen to me closely, Link. I’m not going back there. If I am brought back to the castle, I will break. I can’t watch him torture everyone-- or you if you’re caught with me-- and I can’t be left in that hole again. All of it together? I’d likely crack just to be offered the chance to die.”

She held up the knife to make her point. “I will not go back alive. My death would allow my secrets to die with me, and I couldn’t doom a kingdom with a moment of weakness. And I want... no, I _need_ you to promise me something, Link.”

He waited, his eyes darting between her and the knife uneasily. “What?”

“If I can’t do it, I need you to. No matter what, no matter how afraid I am… I need you to kill me if I can’t do it myself. It’s for Hyrule.”

His eye twitched as he thought about her request. Despite killing many in his line of work, this girl was different. There was something beyond her personality or looks that drew him to her on a deeper level. Some part of him felt like he knew her. Another part recognized that they really were little more than strangers.

“Okay,” he finally said, taking a deliberate step into her space. He was still covered in blood spatter, and his arm was dripping blood. His tall height and large, muscular frame had her take a step away just by force of habit, but he followed each step she took. “I’ll do that for you. But you owe me one thing in return for that promise.”

“What?”

“The guards recognized you as Ganondorf’s most valuable prisoner, but no one can even find the Princess’s cell. I won’t take a single step until you tell me who you are or why they want you so badly.”

“Link…” she hesitated. She shouldn’t tell him. It would be safer for him and for everyone else. But the threat of Ganondorf killing him for that knowledge alone was gone for now. Link would be safe from losing his tongue and his life if she told him. But then again… he was the only person who treated her like anything but royalty, and she wanted to keep it that way.

But she couldn’t.

“I _am_ Princess Zelda.”


	10. Chapter 10

Zelda could remember the day her parents told her they were having another child. They’d sat her down on her pink canopy bed and held her in their arms. She was only five years old, and they’d bought her a new stuffed cucco, which she hugged to herself as she'd listened.

She’d gone through several emotions all at once, not limited to anger, confusion, sadness, excitement, and joy. She’d cleared an area of her room where her new sibling could live, though her parents had to gently explain that it wasn’t possible to let the new baby live on the floor of her room with her.

She’d felt that same rush of a thousand emotions again when her sister had been born, and then again every time her sister had been praised for her skills in horseback riding or archery. Zelda knew the confusion that came with conflicting emotions all-too well.

And that’s what she could see written plainly across Link’s features.

He stared at her, unspeaking for an endless moment before he finally shook his head and managed to croak out one single word.

“What?”

Zelda looked around again to make sure no one else was around. “I _am_ Princess Zelda, Link. No one could find her in the castle because no one knew that she was me. The royal household was all murdered the moment Ganondorf took our throne, and those who were imprisoned with us in the dungeons had likely never seen me up close. Even if they had, I certainly don't look like a royal right now. And Ganondorf would have killed every one of those people if I’d said a word of who I was just so Hyrule wouldn’t know that the throne was still mine, not his.”

When he still didn't respond, she shook him. “Link, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t tell you. I really shouldn’t be telling you this now either, but you have earned my trust. Prince Daltus is my cousin and he’s coming to avenge my family. He was on his way before they were killed to aid Hyrule, but he will likely be making his way here with more haste after hearing of their death. If I died, he would be the next in line to the throne, so he doesn’t have much choice but to come here, whether I'm dead or alive. Either puts him in a position to come to Hyrule. He likely has a suspicion that I’m alive, especially if half of the castle heard rumors of my survival.”

“ _You’re_ the Princess of Hyrule?” Link asked as if he hadn't heard any other words, his mouth open slightly as he still struggled to take it in. He looked her over. While he’d figured she was some high-born noble, he had never imagined _this_ just based on the sheer implausibility of it all. That _he,_ a lowly knight of all people, might have ended up stuck in a prison cell with the princess.

Ever patient, Zelda nodded. “I am.”

He ran a hand across his face and through his hair, scoffing. “Do I bow?”

“Please don’t bow. Link, you can’t tell anyone who I am. People can’t know my identity until I get to the safety of my cousin’s camp. And that’s why I need you to promise me that if I can’t bring myself to take my own life in the event of being captured, _you_ must do it.”

This time, he started to pace. “Kill the Princess of Hyrule? Are you mad?” But his face steeled. “I’m sor—”

“If you finish that apology, I’ll… throw something at you. Call me mad. Call me anything. Don’t change anything about how you speak to me. No one can know who I am.”

“Why? They’d rally to your side to fight for you.”

Zelda grabbed Link and pulled him with her, getting him to move and continue away from the castle as she spoke. “Imagine that I were to go to an inn and announce who I am. One person there might not have liked my family’s policies, or they could be hungry and in need of the reward that would follow. Even if they all loved my family, word would spread that I'd been there. Ganondorf then knows where I am, or at least where I am in terms of the general vicinity. As you’ve told me in the past, I’m not physically capable of fighting him, and he would be coming with half his army to capture me. Even you couldn’t stop them.

“Then, I’d be brought back to the castle and thrown into that hole again for a few days. It wouldn’t break me, but I’d be weak with hunger and honest panic. That thing was horrible, Link. And he’d bring me out to watch you be torn to actual shreds while you’re alive and screaming. He’d probably do that to you and to several others. I’d gather he’d do it all day, perhaps for two days straight.

“But if I didn’t crack under _that_ and give him my family’s throne, he would then take to torturing me. I would die for Hyrule, and I would suffer for it as well, but if I’d managed to endure through everything before, that would be where I’d break.” She watched disbelief cross his face and she stopped, grabbing his hand, and holding his gaze.

“No, Link, I would. You don’t know him like I do. He doesn’t want to force me into a marriage with him. He doesn’t need to show me any kindness. He would start by taking the pieces of my body that I don’t need. My left arm. My legs. My ears. My skin. The list goes on. He only needs my voice and my right hand, so fill in those blanks. If that didn’t do it, he’d rip pieces of me out of my body and lay them out in front of me. He’s an expert at keeping his victims alive while they are tortured. If... gods... if I managed to keep alive that long without ceding the throne, he’d heal me and do it all again until one day, I stopped being _me_. He breaks people in the worst ways because all he knows is violence. He doesn’t understand how to break someone by showing them a mercy, like sparing one's sister. I can’t go back to that castle, Link, because if I do, Hyrule will legally pass to that man because I won’t be strong enough in the face of all that. But if I die first, it goes to my cousin, who has a vast army behind him.”

“You told me how your family died,” he muttered, putting everything together, slowly, but steadily.

“Yes.”

“Your family… you… you’re not even the princess. You’re the Queen.”

She crossed her arms. That was a fact that had not escaped her notice. “Technically yes, though not officially. Until I am _officially_ crowned, I am still Her Royal Highness, Princess Zelda Aravis Thaisa Hyrule, heir apparent to the Kingdom of Hyrule and all its Territories.”

Link licked his dry lips and shook his head, still in shock, though not disbelief. “Did…” he looked at her for a long moment, her words swimming around his brain. “Did they make you learn to write all that as a child?”

Zelda let out a breath and felt her mouth tipping up into a small smile. “Unfortunately.”

He nodded slowly. “Okay, Princess, I’ll do everything in my power to honor your... request... and to get you to your cousin. Though, I don’t know where he is, and if he’s not in Hyrule, it’s probably too far to walk on foot.”

With a harsh sigh of relief, Zelda grabbed Link’s hand and squeezed. “Thank you.”

His eyes locked where their hands clasped, and his eyes widened as he pulled his hand free. “Oh gods, I’ve been… I’ve been flirting with the Princess of Hyrule while I was indecently dressed. Not my fault on that last part, though.”

Zelda laughed and kept walking. “Yes you have! Shamefully attempting to seduce royalty? That must have been what really landed you in the cells in the first place.”

“Bloody Fires of Din,” he muttered, though he looked up apologetically at his slip of a curse.

“Oh please, if I haven’t said far more obscene things than that! You don’t have to tip-toe around me. I’m not sheltered; I didn’t lie to you in the cells. I did volunteer with the wounded and dying soldiers on Hyrule Field, so I can say that your ‘indecency’ is a far cry from the most I’ve seen of a man. Though admittedly, medical situations are far more dire and makes one go numb to all the oddities of a body after a time. However, when days were finer, I frequently checked on the soldiers stationed at the barracks and know you _boys_ have a fondness for practicing shirtless." She patted his cheek with a playful smile. "It _is_ far rarer for someone to go without shoes in my presence. Truly, I don't think I've ever seen anyone without shoes other than my family.”

“Goddess Hylia, Zelda,” he muttered abashedly and with a chuckle as he passed her.

“Oh, Link, you’ve gone red!” she teased, catching up to him.

He breathed into his hand and turned his head to her. “We need to find a place to wash up and drink before anything. Under this armor, I’m still as bloodied as I was in the cells, and your hair is too red for someone _not_ to take notice.”

She felt her stiff hair and nodded. “You have a story or two to tell me as well. And while we’re alone, you may ask any question you have and I’ll answer it honestly. But once we’re near any other living person, you can’t even acknowledge my title.”

Link didn't doubt her, but he still felt shocked that this was actually happening to him. Meeting the princess was the stuff of a young boy's dreams. Saving her was the stuff of a soldier's dreams. Having a conversation with her was a thing of a wise man's dreams. But gods, Link knew that he wasn't dreaming. He'd seen her in his mind at night before, and he'd imagined her in the regalia he'd only seen at public events, the long, billowy dresses, the circlets with rubies or sapphires that were worth more than his yearly salary. Her voice wasn't as he'd imagined or remembered. But despite their circumstances, he realized that this real-life version of her was actually better than his dreams, if only because she was _real_ in every sense of the word. There was a false illusion of her that shattered at this revelation, and Link chuckled to himself as he realized how cliche he'd made her seem in his mind. To him, this girl from the cells was _far_ from ordinary. 

“I can accept that, Her High Majesty, Princess Zelda Ar… Aravian Thassius Hyrule, heir of the Throne of Hyrule and all Territories.” He grimaced at his botching of her title and felt his face heat up once again.

But Zelda laughed softly, and a fond smile spread over her. “Very close, Link. Very close.”


	11. Chapter 11

Zelda ducked her head under the water and sighed. She wished that she had more time to just enjoy the feeling of water, but they were still too close to the castle to feel even remotely comfortable with their surroundings.

Link stood several yards away, keeping an eye on the woods, while Zelda washed the blood from her hair and the grime off her body. She couldn’t help but sigh again as she watched the red stream of dry blood flow away with the small current that led into a stream from the pond itself. Running her hands through her hair was no longer a chore. Though it was still considerably tangled, it was nothing like before. But the stiffness from the blood and dirt had been washed away, and her soft, long blonde hair floated at the surface of the water all around her.

Goddess, how she wanted to stay there, but she felt bad for Link. She’d convinced him to wash up as well, since—by his own admission—everything except for what Zelda had helped him with was still covered in dried blood. It had come with the promise from her that she wouldn’t wander away so he could still help if more soldiers came along. That didn’t take much convincing for Zelda to agree with. She didn’t love the idea of him being her constant shadow, but it wasn’t an unfamiliar position for her to be in. As Princess, there was always someone with her. Gods, there were usually several of her ladies in the room while she bathed, so having the privacy of a soldier barely within talking distance was a blessing that she wasn’t used to.

Dipping her head back into the water one more time, she climbed out and shivered in the night chill. They’d agreed that the air was warm enough for this night-stop, but that didn’t make getting out any less chilly. Besides, there was absolutely nowhere they could go without raising suspicions in their current condition.

She pulled on her old clothes. There would be no drying without the warmth or the sun, and it wasn’t worth waiting. Truly, she barely noticed. After the dungeons, after that _grave_ she’d been in, this was an oasis, wet clothes and all.

“Link?” she called.

He only turned half his head, keeping his eyes from her. “Yes?”

She grinned at his soldierly respect for her. “You can come out now.”

He turned the rest of the way towards her and saw her leaning on a rock, watching him until he reached her.

“Your arm,” she said finally, “How did you say you fixed it?”

Link made a face and turned away from her. “I popped it back in as soon as I got out of the chains. Not the most efficient fix, but it’s worked well enough.”

Her mouth dropped and she crossed the distance between them. “Let me feel it.”

“No.”

“Link.”

“It’s fine.”

“Of _course_ it is. Take off your armor,” she demanded. It was that voice, that posture that she’d used on Link in the past, the one that had him unabashedly intimidated by her. And now, he knew exactly why. It was the demeanor of a royal commanding the attention of one of her subjects.

He sucked in a breath and shook his head in acceptance, unwilling to fight her, as he pulled off the guard uniform and chain mail until he was in the last of his layers, a loose shirt that was barely thick enough so the chains of the mail didn’t rub against his skin.

“Link,” she sighed. She had to see the bone, not just feel it. “You can’t possibly be modest. Before today, I’ve never even seen you _with_ a shirt on.”

“It wasn’t like I was strutting around in front of you like some bird, but it was also before I learned who you were, _Princess_.” His eyes pointedly avoided hers, and he stared at the bottom branches of the nearest trees just to give himself something else to focus on.

"Well, get over it."

In a quick motion, Zelda tugged his arm lightly, and watched him hiss, stepping away from her in pain. “Gods, Zelda!”

“How in Din’s Blood did you not manage to break your arm? Good thing you’re left-handed. I have no idea how you’ve been using it this whole time. Let’s go. I’m going to fix it. Sit down in front of that tree, take off your damned shirt and... actually, give me your belt, while you’re at it.”

Chuckling, Link couldn't stop the words before they were out his mouth, despite knowing who she was. “You just want me to strip to nothing in front of you, don’t you?”

Her eyes glinted humorously, and she held out her hand for his things. “You wish, Link.”

He let out a bemused breath and rolled his eyes, pulling both shirt and belt off. Zelda took them and winced, seeing his back first. It was still coated in a layer of dried blood. Kneeling in front of him, she gave his arm a quick look over and a light poke, which had him flinching. She could see the bone jutting out slightly.

Link’s face was red, and Zelda couldn’t fight back her grin when she noticed. His arms were resting over his pulled-up knees as he watched her examine his arm. Tensing, he suddenly pushed himself back against the tree.

“I haven’t done anything yet!” Zelda laughed.

“Your hair,” he said, gesturing to where wet drops trickled down in long streams where her hair draped over his arm.

“My hair pains you?” she asked, deliberately leaving her hair against him and grabbing his wrist. Honestly, let him be distracted by it, she figured. It would take his mind off this. She bent his arm around, beginning to move it into position.

He pressed further into the tree, though this time, his scrunched-up face betrayed his real pain. “Yes,” he hissed through gritted teeth. “Travelling with you is immensely painful for various reasons.”

“We haven’t even traveled yet, really. We’ve gotten to a pond that you haven’t even gone in. We haven’t even slept. You’re being very cynical.”

He groaned. “I’ve seen you sleep. You’re a maniac.”

But Zelda just grinned. “If you want to see something maniacal, wait until I push your arm back into place. Are you ready? It’ll hurt.”

“Do it.”

Zelda grimaced in empathy as she moved his arm across his chest and pushed it back hard.

Link felt the tree cutting into his back as she did, forcefully bracing himself against it. But when he heard the pop, he was surprised at the immediate waves of relief.

She grabbed his belt and wrapped it around him, securing his arm in place. “Obviously, you can slip out if there’s a fight, but otherwise, try to keep it there. With a potion, you should feel better much faster.”

“Thank you,” he said, honestly sincere for the first time in a while.

“You won’t thank me when I find a needle and stitch up these cuts,” she said, only half joking, as she eyed the evidence of Ganondorf’s blade.

“I’m sure there are healers in town. You don’t have to.”

Zelda sat by a rock, waiting for him to get in the pond already. He slid in, careful of his arm, and dunked his head under with a plop. Zelda looked around the area as he had done, keeping an eye out for any approaching threats. She heard him pop back up.

“You know,” she said, “We have no money for any proper medical help. Unless you have a stash of rupees hidden nearby?”

He swam over to the edge and rested against his good arm, staring up at her. “No, not near here. I can work odd jobs. You can find a bunch of injured people to torment. We need a change of clothes first. I can’t be travelling around like Ganondorf’s soldier, and you look like you just ran out of some dungeons.”

“And you need a potion badly.”

“This is great. I thought you were rich,” he teased.

She snorted. “Yes, I’ll just sneak back in and grab the rupees I kept under my floorboards.”

“Good plan," he laughed, rubbing the grime off of himself. "How's your head?” he asked as the water rippled around him. 

"Spinning," Zelda admitted. "But it's not the worst thing I've ever felt and I can easily ignore it when my mind is preoccupied. My legs are sore from standing, as I imagine yours are."

"Yeah, I can't say I miss that cell."

“Tell me what happened, Link. You got out, opened everyone’s cells, and then looked for me. That’s so vague.”

He laid back a bit to wet his hair. “I used the keys, got myself and some others out, we took out the guards at the doors while others were opening the rest of the cells. I tool one of the guard’s uniforms and got out of there. The soldiers didn’t know any better and let me wander around. I asked questions, I _slept in a bed_ …”

“You know how to make a girl jealous,” Zelda laughed.

He grinned at her and kept going: “… and the prisoners roamed the castle, looting, killing, escaping. There were still some inside from what I heard when I got to you. It took a full day, thankfully not any longer.”

“I don’t know how you stood up for so long, Link. That was horrible.”

“The chains helped,” he said ruefully. When he saw her grin fade as she drifted back to the cell, he cleared his throat, returning to scrubbing the blood off himself. “So, you said I could ask you anything about your royal-ness, right?”

Zelda rand her fingers through her hair, untangling it like a brush as she nodded.

“Okay, I’m dying to know something. There are rumors about two things. One is that there is a secret river that runs underneath the castle and leads out into Lake Hylia. The second is that the river is actually a part of the lake that you sectioned off for your own private use. Is that true?”

“No,” she laughed. “There is a small natural underground spring that I used to bring my sister to, but that’s all.”

“Okay, tell me this then: how big was your dining table?”

Zelda shook her head, smiling. “Of all the questions you might have, those are the two you chose to ask?” Link waited patiently, his eyes glimmering at her. “Okay,” she said. “Our table was very large. And yes, it was full. We didn’t waste the food as much as rumors would have you believe, though. First, the servants were given everything we didn’t eat, then we gave the rest to shelters around castle town. It wasn’t ideal. My sister and I kept trying to convince my father not to allow the cooks to make so much, but it wasn’t his first concern.”

“You must have been close, you and Princ—”

“Wait,” Zelda interrupted. “Don’t say her name. I can’t say their names yet. I can talk about them… but I can’t… I just can’t say their names. I don’t want to hear them.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You didn’t know. I can’t grieve them yet. We aren’t safe. But yes, we were close, my sister and I.”

“Well," Link said, tapping the rock in front of him, "let’s get to safety. We’ll find somewhere we can build a fire for the night, and then try to get some rupees tomorrow so we can get some gear and travel.”

“Yes, that sounds good. I’m not sure how I’m still awake.”

“Hey, Zelda,” Link added hurriedly. “Did you have three bedrooms in different parts of the castle all to yourself?"

Zelda crossed her arms with a smug grin. "Link, for someone who is _so_ modest, are you truly thinking of my bedrooms?"

Link laughed heartily, a sound that Zelda was sure he didn't make often, and splashed her. “You wish."

It was only when they found a secluded cave and started a fire to keep their damp bodies warm that both of them were peacefully asleep for the first time in a very, _very_ long while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is written by someone with the extensive medical knowledge of WebMD and dramatic tv shows, so just use your imagination if you know something I've said is incredibly incorrect or would actually tear someone's arm off rather than putting it back into place.


	12. Chapter 12

“Link?” Zelda called, taking another bite of the apple that they’d taken off some nearby trees.

“Yeah?” he called, popping out from seemingly nowhere.

“Look,” she said, pointing to a nearby farm. “They might offer us rupees for work.”

Link had peeled off the symbol of Ganondorf from his stolen uniform, and now just looked like a very tragically dressed soldier in distress, though Zelda didn’t look much better, dressed practically in dirty rags.

“Okay, we can give it a try, but I’m not in the best shape, both of us are living off of apples, and we’ve had one decent sleep. But we can try.”

Zelda gave him a broad smile. “You underestimate my talents, Link. I have a very friendly face.”

He rolled his eyes at her mocking voice and followed her to the house, keeping an eye on their surroundings and a hand on his sword.

Zelda skipped off to the side where the fence was, eyeing a middle-aged woman near the fence.

“Hello,” Zelda said approaching slowly.

The woman looked over at her suspiciously.

Zelda pulled Link alongside her, wrapping her arm around his and not needing much acting to put on a weary-worn expression. “My husband and I were set upon by bandits in the forest. We lost everything. Do you need any work done? We are on our last leg.”

“He’s injured.”

“I can work,” Link jumped in, ignoring Zelda’s glare; she knew what he was about to do with the makeshift sling he'd grabbed. “It’s just a precaution after I was injured fighting, but I don’t need it. I can work.”

The woman looked between the two suspiciously before her eyes stayed glued on Link and his uniform. “A soldier, then? Who do you fight for?”

Link turned to Zelda and shook his head ever so slightly. The wrong answer would either get them killed, captured, or at best, simply turned away.

But Zelda was willing to risk it. She looked around and took a cautious step away from Link and touched her thumbs and index fingers together to form an upside-down triangle, the center of the Triforce, the representation of the Goddess Hylia.

The woman looked around and nodded. “Come to the door. I’ll see what work I can offer you. I’m Maryse. You’re Mr. and Mrs…?”

Zelda stuttered, turning to Link. Obviously, she couldn’t use her own last name.

“Forrester,” he said, more to Zelda than to Maryse.

Zelda felt a little guilty that she hadn’t known his last name, but then again, he hadn’t known hers until yesterday.

It wasn’t hard to figure out a mutual arrangement. Link took off his sling and helped one of the men on the farm with some of the heavier lifting, while Zelda tended to the animals as the day passed both incredibly quickly and slowly all at once.

As Zelda brushed the fine hair of her third horse, she heard someone enter the barn behind her. She spun, frightened at the sudden noise that broke her from her trance, but calmed as soon as she saw a younger girl, perhaps fifteen or so, standing in the doorway.

“My uncle said you were too pretty to be working in the barns. I think your husband might have threatened him a bit.”

“Excuse me?” Zelda asked. “Who are you? Who’s your uncle?”

“Sorry,” the girl said, stepping closer. “My name is Zelda. I go by Ellie though. You’re on my mother’s farm. What’s your name?”

Zelda grinned as she looked over the girl. Goddess, it took her breath away, but the girl was a spitting image of her sister. From the short blonde hair, to the wide blue eyes, Zelda was sure that Ellie had to be her sister’s doppelganger, and at about the same age, too. “My name is also Zelda. No nickname, though.”

“Nice to meet you. My mother said you two were robbed?”

“Robbed of everything,” Zelda muttered ruefully.

“Not each other. That’s what my mother always says.”

Zelda smiled. “Speaking of ‘each other,’ you said... _my husband_ threatened your uncle?”

Ellie smiled. “Yeah, but don’t worry, it was a good thing. My uncle is about your age, so it’s not weird, but he was making some pretty stupid comments about your looks. He really deserved to be threatened. My mother says never to let someone talk like that.”

"Your mother sounds very wise," Zelda set down the brush and sighed. “I should go see what happened.” 

“No, I was over there when it happened. Everyone is fine now. My uncle won't say anything again. It was just words. I’ll let... his name is Link, right? I'll let him tell you. That’s something couples do, isn't it?”

Zelda grinned and picked up the brush again. “How old are you, Ellie?”

“Fourteen.”

Well, her guess was close.

“How’d you get ‘Ellie’ from Zelda?”

Ellie sat down and watched the cuccos in the corner. “Zelda, Zel, El, Ellie. Zelda, Zellie, Ellie. It was an evolution.” She stopped and looked Zelda over. “Are you going to be here for a minute?”

“I should be.”

“Great, I’ll be right back.”

Ellie took off and Zelda watched her go, using the moment to peek outside and look for Link. She could see him with something in his lap, like a piece of wood that he appeared to be fixing. Behind him was a young man, maybe just older than they were. Ellie’s uncle, she imagined. But neither were speaking, and it didn’t appear that there had been a physical fight, so she went back to her own task until she heard the loud return of Ellie's heavy footsteps.

“Here,” the young girl said, holding out a hairbrush. “For _your_ hair. It’s a mess. You can keep it; I don’t need it anymore.”

Zelda took it with a smile and set down the horse’s brush. “Thank you, Ellie. I’ll admit, it’s been awhile.”

“Yeah, I can tell. My mother is nearly finished with dinner. Will you two join us?”

“We couldn’t impose,” Zelda said, despite how much she wished it.

“She always makes too much anyway, since my brother and my father died, she can’t seem to figure out how to cook for three.”

Turning to the young girl, Zelda nodded, understanding the loss they felt all too well. “I’m sorry for your family. I lost my..." she hesitated to say 'family' for fear it was too much information, "...sister, too.”

“Sucks, doesn’t it?” Ellie said with a wry laugh. “But I’m leaving this farm some day soon. I won’t have to remember.”

“You won’t be able to forget them. You know that, right?”

“Hey,” Link said from the doorway, looking between the two girls. “Hi. Maryse offered to share her meal with us, and offered us a spare room for the night. What do you think?”

Zelda turned to Ellie, who only smiled knowingly. “I told you my mom cooks for too many people. I’ll go tell her you’ll stay.”

She waited for Zelda’s nod of approval before taking off, leaving Link and Zelda alone.

Zelda crossed her arms and looked accusingly at Link. “I heard you got into a little spat.”

“It was nothing,” Link said dismissively.

But Zelda ran the brush through her knotted hair as she spoke, almost smug. “I heard it was over me? Are you taking your role as my husband too seriously, Link?”

He rolled his eyes. “No. He said… never mind. I’d have said something to him regardless of who you are.”

“Maybe I can get Ellie to tell me what he said, since you’re dodging it.”

“You shouldn’t ask her.”

“That bad?” Zelda asked with a laugh. Gossip, being talked about, and being scrutinized in any way were all things she’d become too used to and barely affected her anymore. The royal family faced constant scrutiny. _Constant_.

Link shrugged, getting comfortable against the doorframe. “I think your little friend considering running off from here next week. Her uncle, Oton, told me, though he doesn't seem to take it too seriously. He said she's not capable, but his opinion of others is... not one I value. If she wants to run, she should know what she’s running into out there."

“You’d encourage her running away?” Zelda asked, concern and curiosity creeping across her face.

“I did. It’s how I became a soldier. Did I not tell you that one?”

“You told me some stories from your childhood and about your time as a trainee, but you failed to mention the in-between.”

“I was about her age, maybe younger, when I ran away from home. My parents split up, my mother remarried first, and I hated the man. Then my father was killed, so I was stuck in that house with her and _him_. My mother died ‘mysteriously’ later that year and all her property went to _him._ He was about to send me to live with my aunt and uncle, but I never went. I took off and never looked back. I enlisted, and they became my family instead. So, I can’t really condemn Ellie for wanting to get out of here, but it’s not the same world out there anymore.”

Zelda joined Link, leaning against the other side of the doorframe when she’d fixed a good portion of her hair. She couldn’t help the soft smile that came over her as she began to retreat into her memories. “She reminds me of my sister. Did you ever hear a rumor that my sister tried to elope? That's pretty close to just running away.” Zelda laughed to herself. “It was partially my fault.”

“I’ve never heard that one. What happened?” Link had to admit to himself that Zelda’s laugh was refreshing.

“Well, she's sixteen, and in our profession, we aren’t allowed much of a social life outside of noble children that we could potentially marry one day. It’s all very contrived. My sister had just begun to realize she liked _other_ boys, not the ones she was forced to mingle with. When I realized it, I might have _perhaps_ taken her to the training yard where the young recruits who were actually her own age were training. And they _might_ have begun to show off when they saw her.”

Link laughed. “So, you were an instigator, and a matchmaker?”

Zelda shrugged innocently. “It’s a shame you were never stationed at the castle. There were days when I went down to have drinks with the soldiers. They were my closest friends outside my household, and they’re the reason I decided to volunteer.”

“For their sakes, or because you met one you liked?”

“I liked one, but he came much later in my story,” she said coyly. She could see Link’s wheels turning, but not sure what to make of it, so she rolled her eyes and continued. “Well, my sister ended up seriously talking to one of them and they grew to like each other. I found them sneaking around the castle once or twice, and then, one night, I saw them leave through one of the secret tunnels. I had to follow her and stop them just before they got out of Castle Town. She hated me for so long after.” Zelda stopped and her smile fell. “If I’d let her go, she could have survived. Disgraced from the royal family, but who really cares? She could be alive. I'm her older sister. I was supposed to die years before her. _I_ was supposed to go first!”

Link watched her for a moment, hesitating for a moment before leaning forward to grab Zelda’s hand. “If she were half as strong as you, she’d have gone back home as you did, and the predicament would have been the same.”

Wiping a tear, Zelda turned to look outside, away from Link. “If I was half as strong as her, I’d have found a way to keep her alive. If anyone deserved a life, it was her.” She let go of Link and took out the knife in her belt, twirling it around in her hands. “I’m not a warrior, but I want nothing more than to be the one who kills Ganondorf. I want to get right in front of his face the way he was in mine and watch the life leave him every passing second until he’s a shell of a being. And then I want to bury my family far from our crypts because they’ve seen enough of the darkness in this world. I want them to be in a field, surrounded by flowers and trees and _life_. And one day, I want to be buried beside them so I can see them first in the Sacred Realm.”

“Hey!” Ellie called, running up to them, breathless. “Food’s ready. I found you both a change of clothes for the night and something for the morning that you can keep. But you owe me a story. Over dinner, tell us anything. I want to know what’s going on out there!”

Zelda glanced at Link with a sly grin, which he returned, and wiping her eye one more time. “Oh, the stories we could tell you.”


	13. Chapter 13

The food at the table was as Ellie predicted. There was far too much to feed just the three who lived in the house, and for that, Zelda couldn’t help but feel grateful.

She gratefully ate the food provided to them, and listened intently to Link’s tales from his days as a soldier, not realizing what a master storyteller he was. His stories had her entranced, imagining the words he described. Or, perhaps, it was simply interesting because it was pieces of his life that she'd yet to learn. The stories were simple, and from a much easier time. Nothing that included the doom that faced the kingdom currently. Nothing that even remotely implied who either of them were.

“How did you meet?” Ellie asked Zelda after hearing too many war stories for her taste.

“Oh,” Zelda said, glancing at Link. “He was just… hanging around. We met by chance.”

“What was your wedding like?”

“Ellie!” Maryse scolded. “Sorry, she’s a curious child.”

“It’s fine,” Zelda laughed. “Truly, our wedding happened so quickly that I hardly remember it. We were in a bit of a rush.”

Link snorted and cleared his throat. He chuckled when he felt Zelda’s foot kick him, though her smile didn’t falter.

Ellie shrugged, taking a bite of her food. “I wouldn’t have a rushed wedding. I’d draw it out for days… unless you’re pregnant?”

Both Link and Zelda choked.

“Ellie!” her mother gasped. “One more comment like that to our guests and you’re going to your room.”

“No,” Zelda finally managed. “I’m not.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you look like Princess Zelda?”

Zelda’s lips tightened in a forced smile. “All too often, actually. I was considering changing my hair so people might stop comparing us. It gives me unrealistic expectations of myself. Has anyone told you that _you_ look like Princess Zelda’s sister?”

“Actually, yes. I once convinced someone that’s who I was, and he was so convinced. It was crazy. I got a discount on some new shoes. I didn’t even go there for shoes.”

Zelda chuckled and cleared her throat as she took a drink.

“So,” Ellie said, addressing Link. “How’d you get that scar?”

“That’s it!” Maryse choked, standing up and pointing down the hall. “Out.”

“It’s fine,” Link tried.

But Maryse shook her head. “It’s inappropriate of her. She needs to learn.”

“I never get to do anything!” Ellie yelled, pushing the chair back so hard that it fell over. “You don’t let me talk, you don’t let me breathe, you don’t let me do anything! I wish I lived with Aunt Chermaine instead of you two!”

Her uncle and mother watched her leave and waited for the slam of her door.

“Sorry,” her uncle said, picking up the chair.

“It’s fine. I actually was going to ask if you had a needle and thread. Link was injured… when we were set upon.” Zelda stumbled over her words, nearly forgetting their story.

“Oh, yes,” Maryse said, standing to clear off the empty plates on the table. “I can take a look. I’m a far herbalist. My potions aren’t like the ones you’ll buy at the store, but they’re good.”

Zelda looked to Link for that one. He nodded once. “I can help with that fence in the corner of your yard in the morning as payment.”

“Just let me worry about that,” Maryse said, grabbing the needle and thread from a drawer. She also grabbed a bucket and a rag. “Let’s go into the other room. Oton, clean up the rest of the table please?”

They stood in front of a lantern that Maryse turned up as she dug through a drawer. “Let me see one of these wounds so I know what I’m dealing with.”

Link tilted his neck so she could see one of the wounds from Ganondorf, and he lifted his sleeve so she could see the most recent one from the blade during the attack in the woods.

“Plus your arm is meant to be in a sling,” she said, muttering more to herself. “So if I add…”

As she trailed off, Link leaned closer to Zelda. “You’re not going to stitch them all, right? There are a lot.”

“You’re so lucky you haven’t gotten an infection already, so yes, I’m going to stitch them all shut.”

“Is it necessary?”

Zelda turned to him and crossed her arms. “You fight me on everything I try to help you with.”

“You’ve fought me as well. We’re about even.”

Zelda scoffed. “I’ve seen men and women die from infections. You’re going to have to tough it out with me.”

“Here,” Maryse said, handing them a small jug filled with dark green liquid. “This is a potion that should help. It doesn’t taste good, but it’ll work. And here, for the wound.” She handed over some alcohol. “Do you need Oton to do it? He’s had experience sewing flesh.”

Zelda made a face. “No, I was an apprentice to a surgeon during the war. I can manage but thank you.”

“Very well, let me show you to your room,” she said, leading them down a dark, wooden hallway. “Ellie said she laid some clothes out for you; something to sleep in and something to keep.”

“Yes, it was very kind of her.”

Maryse made a noise in agreement and gestured inside. “Please, sleep well. It’s an honor to aid any who’ve served against the usurper.”

“The honor is ours,” Zelda said, “It’s rare to find someone who is willing to help two total strangers.”

“It might not be as rare as you think. You may just be asking the wrong people.”

Zelda grinned and led Link inside. “Goodnight, Maryse. Thank you.”

When the door finally closed, Zelda let out a long sigh and sat back on the bed, regretting it immediately for the comfort it brought. She groaned, wistfully wishing she could just throw her head back and sleep.

“I’ll take the floor,” Link said, looking around at the spaciously bare room. There was a mirror and a chest, but little other furniture besides the bed. 

“No, that’s not fair to you. I don’t have a problem sharing the bed if you don’t.”

Link scoffed and began to stutter. “Y-you’re the Princess. Can’t I be beheaded for that… or something?”

“If my family was alive, perhaps. More likely that you’d just have been castrated.”

“Bloody Din,” Link said, swallowing hard and taking an instinctive step away from her, “and you want me to sleep with you?”

Zelda turned to him with a bright grin. “Now _that_ would have gotten you beheaded.”

“Goddess,” Link muttered, feeling his face redden. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I know,” she said, laughing. Holding up the needle, Zelda waved it in front of him. “Now, take off your shirt.”

"Oh yes, that's definitely what you want to say right after all that. You want me dead. I'm understanding it all now." Though Link obliged, he rolled his eyes playfully, wishing she wouldn't have to see how red he'd truly gone. “Actually, have you ever said anything else to me? I feel like half the time I’ve known you, you’ve just been telling me to de-clothe myself.”

“Perhaps that’s because you always do it." She grinned. "Or perhaps, I’m not nearly as sinister as you believe and I’m always attempting to help you. Like now. Sit.” She examined the wound on his neck first and then worked her way down his chest with a grimace. “I’m sorry, this first one is probably going to be the worst, but it has to happen. Take the potion first."

She gave him the foul-smelling green potion and chugged most of it, hoping the fast gulps would make it taste at least mildly better. He handed the bottle to Zelda when he'd taken his share. "You finish it."

"I can't. You need it more."

"Please, you need it, too."

With a sigh and an expression that was slightly relieved, she drank the other half of the drink before picking up the needle again. 

Link braced himself as she cleaned the wounds and threaded the needle through his skin again and again until every touch left him raw and twitching involuntarily. She had to start holding him down by the time she had him lying back to work on his arms.

“Ganondorf did quite a number on you, didn’t he?” Zelda muttered, more to herself than to Link.

Which was fine, since Link found himself unable to safely respond to her. His skin was raw and couldn’t take much more torment after the past few days. On a normal day, his pain tolerance was fairly high, but he was exhausted, and still not recovered from the cells. His body ached fiercely, and this—though necessary—just wasn’t helping his strained senses.

At first, Link kept his eyes closed, trying to stay at rest through the many stitches he was receiving, but his eyes fluttered open in a pain response, and he let his gaze settle on the set expression of the Princess of Hyrule.

It had taken him until the peace of this moment to realize _just_ how blue her eyes were. He had blue eyes, but they were light, practically reflections, whereas hers weren’t nearly as shallow as his. Hers were pure blue, as if the word and its description were created when someone looked into the Princess’ eyes.

And it took him being this close to her in the well-lit glow of her candle to see that underneath her eyes, she had the lightest dotting of freckles, barely noticeable in the normal light, but easy to spot from where he lay.

As she worked, she would occasionally push a piece of hair from her face, but her careless motion would often loosen more hair than she brushed away. He was grateful that he was laying on his arm; the urge to push the hair away for her, to brush his fingers over her skin as he did… it was overwhelming.

Zelda had a focused expression on her face, like there was nothing but her and her work. It was easy to see how she was able to filter out some of the horrors of war that had gone on around her, but Link could see that her same focus was likely keeping her from fully feeling the pain she felt after losing her family. Link didn’t consider his parents his family, but he’d considered several of the soldiers he’d trained with to be. And he knew the horrible, crushing pain of losing them, of watching them die, of thinking it was his fault for not being quick enough, or for not standing in their place. He’d tell her that the feelings would never go away, and that every time he thought of them, he thought of some way he _might_ have been able to save them. But that the days he thought that way became fewer as life went on, and the pain became manageable, something he’d learned to live with rather than to forget. And there would be days where life would prevail over death, and he'd been able to think of other things, leaving his worst memories alone for days at a time. Perhaps that could be some comforting thought to her. Or perhaps it would make it worse.

Her face was still slightly marred from Ganondorf dragging her to her isolated cell only days ago. _Days,_ Link thought. More like a lifetime ago. But he realized that her bruises and scrapes did nothing to detract from her beauty, and if anything, they just added a visual component to the strength he’d witnessed from her.

Zelda chuckled, looking at Link before turning back to her work. “Are you admiring me, Link?”

For once, he was unsurprised by her easy comment. “Yes… Is that okay?” he added, seriously.

“I can’t stop you from thinking whatever thoughts you have, so yes, it’s okay.”

“You could, you know. One word and I’d never think another thought about you. At least, not so noticeably.”

Pausing, Zelda cocked her head at him. “What if I don’t mind you thinking that way?”

Link smirked. “Aren’t you betrothed or something?”

Zelda pulled a stitch too hard and made a face, turning to him apologetically. “I was, as was my sister. But we were babies when they started pairing us off with this prince, or that noble. If I survive this, there is no way I’m honoring that.”

“But you have to marry politically still, right?”

This time, Zelda smirked, teasing. “Why? Are you thinking of marrying me, Link?”

He laughed, genuine and amused. “No. That thought would never have actually entered my mind in a thousand years. You’re a Princess.”

Returning back again, Zelda shrugged, though she couldn't hide the small smile that had crept over her face. “Yes, it’s possible that I’ll have to marry politically. It’s also possible that I will be allowed some freedom in that regard, since the conditions for me to be on the throne require killing Ganondorf. I’d be granted some great honor, or at least leniency in case I go rogue in terms of my royal expectations. Quite frankly, it's a relief to know I can play that card should I do something terribly wrong as I try to learn how to be a good Queen.”

“Sounds like you’d deserve far more than that when you succeed.”

Zelda hummed a pleasant noise of acknowledgement as she tied off the stitch and started to put things away, keeping her eyes off Link. “That’s good for now. You only have a few left, but you should rest for tonight.”

He could see her drooping eyes, and felt his own stinging. He slid under the blanket and closed his eyes. “Go ahead and change. I won’t look.”

“You’d better not,” Zelda laughed.

But by the time she had grabbed the clothes Ellie had set out, Link was already asleep.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, this is a longer chapter than usual because I combined a few into one to just get it all out at once rather than dragging this on for two or three chapters.

Link woke for the third time that night.

The first time, he’d felt Zelda roll into him in her sleep, and then promptly hit his face with her hand as she tried to scoot herself back into place. He’d tried to keep from laughing and couldn’t wait to tell her in the morning that she’d attacked him in her sleep. A little exaggeration never hurt.

The second time he woke, it was because his hand slid under one of the pillows under her head and had brushed against something. As carefully as possible, he traced his fingers around it, realizing quickly that it was the knife he’d given Zelda, and she’d put it under her pillow to grab.

But this time, he woke up to find his hand still inches from the knife, but his other arm was draped over Zelda, as she’d apparently rolled against him again in the night, but hadn’t moved away. He could feel her chest rising and falling, and --much to his surprise-- he could feel her light fingers had intertwined with his at some point. Link smiled to himself, nestling closer to where her hair was already tickling his face.

Only this time, he realized that he’d woken up for a reason. His eyes opened, and he kept still, hearing the commotion in the hall, the frantic footsteps moving back and forth. Link’s fingers gripped the knife under the pillow, waiting. If this was nothing serious, there was no point to waking Zelda, but he was ready.

The creak of the door on its hinges was barely perceptible, but Link slowly moved his arm out from under Zelda’s head so he could move faster with the knife. The door didn’t make another sound, but there was a nearly undetectable step into the room, and that was all Link needed.

Pulling the knife out, he sat up, eyeing the intruder, tense and ready to move. Zelda gasped and joined Link, staring at their guest.

Maryse was standing just inside the room, her eyes puffy and pleading.

“Ellie is gone. She’s not in here, is she?”

“What?” Zelda muttered, catching her bearings. Her eyes were on her knife in Link’s hand, and she pressed her palms into her forehead to stop the throbbing headache she had from waking up tired and so suddenly. “Ellie?”

Link looked around and set the knife on the blanket, not out of reach. “She’s not here.”

“Is she anywhere on the property?” Zelda managed, yawning.

“No, we looked everywhere first. Oton and I have been searching for near an hour. It’s still the middle of the night. I don’t know where she could have gone, but Oton thinks she ran away. It's dangerous in these woods, especially at night! She could be killed.”

Link turned to Zelda, grimacing, already sensing what she was about to say.

“We have to look for her, too. We’ll be right out to help you both.”

Maryse bowed her head in appreciation and closed the door. Link lit the nearest candle, wincing as he remembered how tender some of his body still was. Though, admittedly, the potion had worked wonders in the night, and many of the wounds looked and felt like they were nearly a week into the healing process, especially the arm that Zelda had set.

Springing off the bed, Zelda grabbed the new clothes that Ellie had left out and turned to Link with urgency. “Move, Link. We have to find her.”

“She might be fine,” he said, though he grabbed his things as well.

“I know, but she reminds me of my sister. Link,” she said, stopping to grab his arm. “I couldn’t save my sister. I can’t leave Ellie alone out there. I have to save _someone_ from this mad, apocalyptic world we’re living in.”

Link pulled on a combination of his old plain shirt to go under his chainmail and pulled on the new shirt from Ellie over it. “You saved me, Princess, in more ways than just helping me escape. I know I’m not your family, but don’t think that you haven’t saved anyone yet.”

She wanted to say something, to tell him that despite herself, a part of her was considering him as holding a place in her heart beside family. Something about him was familiar, like she’d known him for ages rather than weeks or however long they’d been imprisoned. She loved how easy it was to talk to him. He was the only person who didn’t just think of her as the Princess, that she had a spirit all her own that didn’t belong to her title. No, he wasn't her family, but she couldn't say he wasn't starting to feel like he could be. But she figured that revelation would be a bit too aggressive for him.

“Don’t turn. I’m going to change,” she said instead, hearing him grab the new pair of pants Ellie had left for him and the belt with his sword.

Zelda threw on a white shirt with quarter sleeves that poofed out, and pulled a long brown skirt up over it, tucking the shirt in above her waist. Ellie had left her some more accessories, but she simply grabbed the boots and turned back to Link.

“Okay, let’s—” Zelda scoffed and crossed her arms. “Did you look at me?”

Link followed her eyes to the mirror in front of Link that aimed straight at her and smirked. Shaking his head 'no', Link fought back a wider grin.

“I don’t know if I believe you,” Zelda said, narrowing her eyes.

He stood and handed her the knife. “You’ll just have to trust me then.”

“Fine,” she said with a playful roll of her eyes as she slid the knife into her belt. “Now let’s go.”

Maryse was waiting for them in the kitchen. “We’re riding out. She’s not here. Will you come?”

Link deferred to Zelda. This wasn’t his choice or his call. Zelda nodded, though she grabbed Link uneasily. “We have no horses. We'll have to check the property again for her.”

“Here,” Oton said, leading the three remaining horses from the barn. “The three of us will split up.” Only one had a saddle, and Maryse jumped onto that horse and spurred off without another word.

“Thank you for your help, strangers,” he said, pushing a brown horse towards them as he pulled himself up on his own horse and joined Maryse down the path from the house.

“Link!” Zelda said, shaking him. Her energy had gone through the roof in the time it had taken to wake up until now, and it was barely contained. She shook him with far more force than she'd meant to. “I don’t know how to ride without a saddle. Do you know how to get saddle a horse? I don't; the stable hands did that for us.”

Swinging himself onto the horse and taking a moment to let it calm down, Link stroked her mane and gave her an affectionate pat before holding his hand out to Zelda. “Just hold on to me. I used to ride wild horses in Hyrule Field when I was a kid.”

“What about my skirt?”

Link wriggled his fingers at her, encouraging her to take his hand. “I’m sitting in front of you. I can’t see you. You can go change if you want. I can take that time to saddle this horse. Or we can just go.”

Zelda muttered to herself before taking his hand. She felt him lift her up as she scrambled to mount the horse behind Link, quickly wrapping her arms around him. “I just want it stated that I’m a _very_ good rider, but I have never done this before. Riding without a saddle was considered a safety hazard, therefore, I will absolutely not be able to let go of yo-u!” She yelped on the last word, sliding off to the side against the horse’s bare back.

“I don’t mind,” Link laughed, pulling her hands tighter around him. “Just don’t let go of me and you won’t fall. I used to ride like this all the time.”

When Link took off, he didn’t ease into it, laughing even harder at Zelda’s high-pitched squeak as she tightened her grip on him.

“Oh gods, this is insane!” Zelda giggled, enjoying the ride far more than she thought she would. But she quickly remembered _why_ they were out there and her excitement wore off in an instant, looking through the encroaching woods, calling Ellie’s name without any degree of success.

Zelda didn’t know how long they rode, but she knew that the sun had moved a fair distance in the time they’d been out. But time became little more than an illusion when a scream echoed through the trees. A young girl’s scream.

Link spurred the horse on toward the voice before it was cut off. He stopped just when he noticed the figures in the distance walking back and forth, though there was little more that he could discern at that point. Swinging his leg over, he hopped down and held his arms out to help Zelda.

“I can’t leave you this far away,” he muttered to her. “Just stay behind the trees.”

“You’re still injured,” Zelda noted as they started to walk.

“It’s much better than yesterday. Don’t worry.”

As they approached, Link gestured to a wide tree, but Zelda stopped and gasped.

“Aelia…”

Link turned to Zelda, mouth open to say something sympathetic to her, knowing that when she saw Ellie, she was seeing her own sister instead, but he didn’t have time. Zelda was on her feet, sprinting into the clearing where Ellie was tied to a tree surrounded by five of Ganondorf’s soldiers.

“No!” Link tried, but found himself following on Zelda’s heels as she ran for the girl.

“Zelda!” Ellie cried.

Zelda stumbled over a large root but made it to Ellie just before the nearest soldier noticed anything amiss. She pulled her knife from her belt and quickly sawed at the ropes that bound Ellie.

“It’s them!” one of the soldiers howled. “I’ve seen her before!”

Zelda spun to the soldier, remembering all-too-well the face of one of the guards who’d kept watch over her cell. “Oh, Goddess,” Zelda muttered, realizing her mistakes. The'd been out searching the woods for them, and she’d led her and Link straight into the arms of five soldiers. These weren't bandits who'd stumbled upon Ellie by accident. These were Ganondorf's soldiers scouring the woods for _her_.

Link had a tight grip on his sword and turned to glance at Zelda. “Do you have her?”

“Yes,” Zelda said, gripping Ellie’s hand firmly.

The guards were rushing at them, and Link pulled Zelda and Ellie with him as he began to run back the way they’d come. He didn’t lead them far before pushing Zelda ahead. “Get on that horse and ride away.”

“I can’t—”

“Go!” he said, forcefully shoving her towards the horse as he stood his ground.

Zelda bit her lip and pulled Ellie away from the guards.

Link took a deep breath as the five guards from the palace approached him quickly, and he wished he had an arrow or two to stop them, but his sword would have to do as it clashed hard against the first guard. He struggled to keep them from flanking him, and was trying to move up the hill, the only direction he could go, when he stopped, stunned.

A horse charged straight into three of the soldiers, sending them flying off their feet. Link froze, watching as a figure was flung from the horse as it skidded to a halt. But he took advantage of the mutual distraction to quickly run his blade across one soldier’s neck, and in the same motion, into the gap just under the armor of the other soldier, piercing him in the heart. Moving quickly, Link ensured the other three on the ground from the impact were dead before rushing over to the fallen rider, hoping to the Goddess that it was a kind stranger, or even Maryse, Oton, or Ellie. But of course, that would have been too good for his selfish self.

Kneeling down beside Zelda, he grabbed her hand and glanced behind him at the approaching footsteps of Ellie before returning his attention to Zelda. “What was that for?” he asked, though his tone was light for her sake.

“Y-you couldn’t take five of them. It was my fault.” Her eyes were fluttering, dazed, and Link ran a hand through her hair to keep her attention on him. He could see some blood in her hair, but also on his own hand. He wasn’t sure who’s it was.

“It’s not your fault. Did you just hit your head when you fell?”

Zelda nodded once, trying to keep her heavy eyes open. “What’s another concussion?”

“That’s not funny,” Link muttered, looking over at Ellie when she reached them. “Do you know where we are? Do you know how to get home?”

“Yes," she nodded hastily, "I was following the road. I know they didn’t take me far.”

“Why did they want you?”

“They were looking for an… an escaped prisoner. A young woman.” Ellie’s eyes darted between Link and Zelda. “Her?”

Link grabbed Zelda’s hand as she breathed heavily, still winded from the fall. “Is Aelia okay?”

Glancing first at Ellie, Link leaned closer to Zelda to look at her eyes. He’d seen several of his friends sustain head injuries, and he was at least familiar with some signs to look for. But the blacks of her eyes appeared normal.

“She is," he said, not bothering to correct her or add to her confusion. "You saved her.”

Zelda turned to Ellie and smiled. “Hey, how are you?”

Link gave Ellie a warning look, one that said not to question Zelda. Ellie smiled back in response. “I’m okay.”

“Ellie, take the horse and follow the road home. We followed the path directly. When someone finds you, bring help. Something to lie her in, like a cart, so we can get her back. I’ll stay with her. Can you do that?”

Nodding, Ellie backed up and grabbed the horse, getting onto it much easier than Zelda could.

“You know you can’t do that,” Link said through gritted teeth as Zelda’s attention turned back to him. “You’re the princess. You have an entire kingdom to think about, and we just have to think about you.”

“There were too many for you. I don’t want you to die, Link. If I can prevent it, even if it means a little…” she winced as if on cue, “…injury, then I will.”

He glanced at their joined hands and he rolled his eyes in relief. She was talking. She was holding a conversation. All good signs. “Just try not to throw yourself off a horse again.”

“I told you I’d fall.”

He grinned slightly. “If you weren’t holding on to me.”

“I think I need to learn to ride bareback when this is all over.”

Running his other hand back through her hair, specifically feeling for any type of wound, he found himself doing it again, even though he’d found nothing. And then again, his fingers ran through her golden locks.

“You were right,” Zelda said abruptly.

“I usually am,” Link jested. “But what about?”

Zelda laughed once and closed her eyes, turning into Link’s hand ever so slightly. “Back in the cells you could tell I was noble because of my hands. But you were right about yourself: you do have rough, peasant hands.”

Rolling his eyes and snorting, Link stilled his hand. “Sorry." Her eyes started to drift shut, and though Link was fairly confident that her injury wasn't bad, he wanted to be on the safe side. "Hey, keep your eyes open for a while, though.”

She forced them open. "Shouldn't I be the one giving you orders? Medical or otherwise? Besides, I didn’t mean you had to stop. I was just… I don’t know what I was doing. I mean, you can stop. It’s not an order either way, not really. You can do… whatever you’d like.”

Link smiled softly at her, returning his hand to her hair and resuming the comforting motion. “You’re usually the one who has _me_ all flustered.”

“You caught me on a bad day.” She sighed and glanced around, already feeling some of the pain subsiding after the shock of it all had worn off. “I put us in danger. Ellie just… she reminds me of… of… Aelia.”

“I know she does,” Link said in a low, soothing voice. “I’ve done similar things to this. In the wake of loss, we try to make up for it, especially when we blame ourselves.”

Zelda turned slightly to look at him. “May I ask… who yo...?” She trailed off, not sure that she wanted to finish that thought. 

Link stared out at the trees for a while before answering. “My parents weren’t my family. But the soldiers I was with afterwards were. And I recently lost a good few in the war. My close friend Hala died when she tried to get a message to me about Ganondorf’s troops. She fell in our camp with three arrows stuck in her back. My closest friend, Kayne, betrayed us when we were set upon by moblins. A part of me hopes he’s dead, and the other part prays to the gods he’s alive. Elosa was found beheaded after a battle. Finn was with me when we reached Ganondorf, so I doubt he made it… or he was also thrown into the cells. I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” Zelda said apologetically.

“No, it’s really fine. I don’t mind talking about them. For most, it's been a while since they died. Besides, it’s our line of work. We sign up knowing that we could all die. Many of the soldiers I was with were like me. Their families weren’t at home, but amongst ranks. We had no one who’d mourn us if we died, just a soldier in a forgotten grave. But sometimes it’s still hard to face their loss when the moment arrives.”

“Link,” Zelda said, letting go of his hand so she could angle herself better to look in his eyes. “I’d mourn you. So, don’t think that you have no one. You have me.”

This time, he couldn’t help the warm feeling that spread though him at her words, and he smiled, though it betrayed his tiredness. “That’s worth quite a lot. But it’s not worth you getting thrown from a horse and injuring yourself for me. Can you try not to nearly die on my behalf next time?”

“No promises, Link. No promises.”

* * *

Zelda could only remember fragments of the rest of the night. She remembered Link distracting her with stories about friends he’d never talked about in the past. She remembered how he’d never let go of her, even when Maryse, Oton, and Ellie returned to bring them back. She remembered drinking the most disgusting potion of her life, and hearing some chastising words directed from Maryse to Ellie about running off. But beyond that, she didn’t quite remember much more than that.

She woke up back in the bed, feeling significantly better. Link was beside her, sitting up, above the blankets, but with his head slouched over onto his shoulder, breathing steadily. She turned to see that there were several things packed up in a knapsack, ready for them to take away for the road.

The sun shone through the window fiercely, betraying the later hour, and Zelda sat up, realizing that someone, likely Maryse, had put her into a nightshift.

“How are you today?” Link muttered, though his eyes stayed closed.

Zelda almost doubted that he was actually talking to her until his eye cracked open to look at her.

“I’m feeling much better. Thank you.”

“Thank Maryse. She made us both some strong stuff. My injuries are little more than scars today, so I was hoping it would be the same for your head.”

“I think it is,” Zelda said, realizing just how ‘okay’ she felt, despite the gaps in her memory.

“Do you remember much?” he asked, as if he could read her mind.

“No.”

Link nodded and sighed, standing up. He handed her some clothes, something nearly identical to what Ellie had laid out before for her. “You kept calling Ellie by your sister’s name. I managed to pass it off as her looking like the Princess, but I figured you should know. She knows that we were prisoners and that our stories are faked. The soldiers told her as much, though it seems that they were looking for you, not me.”

Zelda groaned. “I put us both in so much danger by going after Ellie. If we’d been caught…”

Link rolled across the bed so he was sitting beside her and put a comforting hand on her knee, though he moved it away quickly when he realized how sheer the fabric of her shift was. “It means you’re someone who cares, even for strangers, more than she does for herself. I think that’s an admirable trait. But no matter what, it happened. It’s past. Move forward. We don’t ever have to help any others. Or, we can help every person we pass and risk exposure because it _feels_ right. There is no black and white, right or wrong choice here.”

Zelda smiled ruefully. “That’s easy to say when you haven’t been raised knowing that every decision you ever make will come back to haunt you in one way or another. I once chose to wear my hair in pleats, and suddenly, half the kingdom called it the newest fashion and me an ‘icon.’ I couldn’t wear my _hair_ a certain way without it affecting people.”

Link stood up and crossed the room, hovering near the door. “You’re not the Princess here, remember? You’re just a traveler. You can be anyone, even if that means you’re just being yourself.”

* * *

Once they had packed their things and were ready to leave, Zelda stood outside the farmhouse with her arms crossed, wishing they could stay. This place was safe, it reminded her of home.

Maryse closed the door, bringing Ellie outside wither her as they made their way over to Link and Zelda. “There is nothing I can give you that repays my gratitude for saving my daughter, but I hope this will do. It was Ellie's idea.”

Oton walked around the corner of the house with the horse they’d ridden, a bridle attached to it this time, though only with a blanket over its back. “For you. We cannot afford to part with her saddle as well, but for Ellie’s life, we can part with one horse.”

Zelda shook her head and stepped forward, her eyes darting between the three humble farmers. “We can’t accept this. This is how you earn a living. You don’t even know us. And you repaid us tenfold with your hospitality and your potions. You’ve fed us and given us clothes. We’re healed.”

“Take her,” Ellie said. “The guards in the woods want you. You’ll need a horse to get away. I think... I think you need her more than we do... _Zelda._ ”

Zelda swallowed at Ellie's tone. The way she said it, the way Ellie now looked at her... she had a feeling the girl might have learned more than she let on. 

Link leaned into Zelda. “She’s right. When this is all over, we can return the horse.”

Zelda eyed the brown mare. “I’ll repay you for this one day.”

“There’s no need. Soldiers of the royal family's army are always welcomed here. Repay us by fighting for the Prince and restoring peace. Take her.”

“You have no idea how much this means," Zelda breathed, knowing that she almost had no choice but to accept their generosity. She and Link had very few rupees, and they needed to move fast if the castle guards were this close. "I’ll repay that kindness someday.”

Ellie grinned. “Thank you. Take care of Epona.”

“Epona?” Link said, stroking the horse’s muzzle affectionately. “The name fits.”

Link hopped up and held out his hand for Zelda. She rolled her eyes, displeased with their lack of a saddle again. But this was a blessing from the Goddess that they never expected, and she didn't have the heart or the mind to complain.

As they trotted down the path with a wave back, Zelda stared off into the trees. “We can get to my cousin now.”

Link nodded. “We’ll find a town first and see if we can figure out where he is. Sound good?”

Zelda signed contentedly. For the first time in a long while, she took a breath, and felt herself filled with unrestrained hope.


	15. Chapter 15

“I miss sleeping in a bed,” Zelda muttered after two days of riding. Though they’d passed several smaller towns, they were determined to get as far from the castle as they could before stopping anywhere, hoping the soldiers were assuming that they were travelling on foot.

She was gripping Link loosely as she leaned against his back, her eyes drifting shut once again, though she had to force them open.

“We can stop again,” Link offered, feeling her sagging against him. “You barely slept last night.”

“I hate wolfos," she muttered bitterly. "I might just exile them all one day. Better yet, I might order a great hunt.”

“Hold on one second,” Link said, stopping Epona and tapping Zelda’s arms to let him go. She did and watched as he simply re-mounted Epona behind her instead, wrapping his arms around her waist to grab the reins. “Now you can rest.”

Zelda chuckled and leaned back. “You are a chivalrous Knight of Hyrule, Link. One day, I'll commend you. Thank you.”

She could feel him swallow hard as she rested against him, but her eyes and mind were quick to shut down, her breathing slowed, and then it was Link who could feel that she’d already drifted off to sleep.

The ride gave him time to think.

Passing the heavy forest on either side of their path reminded him of days long since past when he’d run through similar words with a far more carefree approach and spirit. He could almost see himself as a young boy, climbing trees with several of the local children; friends he'd make for a time before moving away and losing them just as quickly as he'd made them.

The sway of the trees, the creaking branches, the bushes and dirt... all of it brought him back to the days when he used to train, when childhood was stolen from him and replaced by the harshness of a world at war with itself. It reminded him of old friends, soldiers, those he’d lost and those he wished he’d never see again.

He thought of his many years as a soldier. After his generalized training, he’d been sent to the nearby garrison to specialize in open field combat, the perfect soldier for times of war. A close-proximity fight in the trees wasn't his strongest suit. Sure, he could do it, but it wasn't where he felt the most comfortable. Give him a battle, a _real_ battle with hundreds of combatants. That was where he thrived. He was trained to look around and remember his surroundings before everything became a blur, to avoid arrows, swords, and all manner of weapons flying at his head while he tried to end someone’s life. He knew how to use his enemies as shields and weapons. They'd trained him to kill. 

He certainly wasn’t trained for _this._

His arms tightened around the Princess of Hyrule at the thought that he might not be good enough for this particular task. He hadn’t volunteered for it; it had just fallen to him. She needed someone, and he was there.

He wondered if she’d have been better off stuck in a cell with his old friend Hala, who was a well-trained scout, someone who could see danger before walking straight into it, someone used to the suffocating treeline or using stealth and surprise rather than brute force to approach their enemies. And besides her skill, Hala was a female, and Link wondered if that was something that Zelda would have preferred as well.

Link _knew_ Zelda could see when he looked at her for too long. And he couldn’t stop words from spilling from his mouth when he was with her: stories of his life, jokes he'd never intended to make aloud, occasionally flirty comments that should have been reserved for female soldiers from his past or girls in the local taverns that he'd never expect to see again. But never for the Princess. Goddess, the _princess_ , was the one he was constantly thinking about, even now. She was the one he enjoyed talking to. She was the one he liked to flirt with. Sure, she seemed to reciprocate, in fact, he couldn't even remember if she had been the one to start it. But he wondered if _she_ would have felt more comfortable with someone else? He was just some soldier she'd learned to co-exist with. Would she have asked for someone different, if given the choice?

Besides the fact that Link was quite obviously attracted to her-- in more ways than just her physical appearance-- Link felt sorely untrained for this role as her... what? Personal protector? Her private soldier? Glorified travelling companion? What even was he?

But regardless of what he was, he still felt unprepared for this position that had fallen to him. Sure, he had almost a decade of training and experience. He’d begun training when he was about fourteen, though he was ashamed to admit that he couldn’t quite remember if he’d actually turned fourteen when he’d joined the soldiers. But that was the thing; he was only two or three years older than the Princess of Hyrule. The _Princess_. She should have someone with forty years of service under their belt, someone who knew every single move there was to know, and to think with their brain rather than their hearts.

He could have stopped her from going after Ellie. He _should_ have. An older, more experienced soldier would have stopped her. He let her risk her life because Ellie reminded her of Princess Aelia. He never should have. She was the last great hope for Hyrule, and they’d nearly been captured.

Thinking of Zelda’s words about Ganondorf should they be captured again, he shuddered. Thinking of her chained to the wall of a cell like he had been while Ganondorf mutilated her body to coerce her to cede the throne… the thought of it had him gripping her tighter again, like somehow, that could protect her. But if they were captured once more, the only thing Link could do was to offer her a swift death.

And as he tried to picture _that_ , he realized that the word ‘princess’ didn’t register in his mind until much later. Instead, he wondered if he could drive a knife into this girl that he’d come to care for. Could he shoot an arrow into her heart? It would kill him to do so, but she wouldn’t suffer at the hands of a tyrannical usurper. But… what if there was still a chance to live, and he’d taken it from her? What if his legacy was ‘the man who needlessly killed the princess’? Or worse, what if he just couldn’t do it? What if he looked into her eyes as her own hand shook, unable to take her own life and needing Link to do it for her, and he faltered, leaving her to suffer a horrible fate because he valued her life _too_ much?

Or worse than all of it, would he fail her before even reaching the safety of her cousin? Would he find her one night as he found his dear friend Taran: impaled on a bokoblin's sword, wide-eyed, afraid, and alone? Taran had trusted Link, and Link had failed him. What good could he be to the most important person in Hyrule when he couldn't save the people who were most important in his life? The worst part? Link had done everything in his power to save his friend. He'd taken on a horde of bokoblins and moblins by himself until help arrived. He'd nearly died in vain just to get to Taran. If he could so easily fail his best friend, how could he hope to keep the Princess safe?

 _No_ , he thought to himself. No. He'd done well for himself. Sure, he lost some people along the way, but he didn't know any soldiers who didn't have the same stories, the same regrets. He was a highly sought-after soldier; he had a clean record-- a _good_ record for one who'd seen combat as many times as he had-- and he was respected by his peers and superiors. But, Goddess, he wished he'd had experience with one-on-one guarding. Sure, he could fight on his allies' weaker side so they don't sustain a harsh blow. He could carry someone out of harms way before returning to finish the job. But Zelda had him questioning everything he'd ever been taught. Should he sleep? Should he stay awake all night? What good would it do for him to get too tired to see straight in a fight? What if he tried to find them food and accidentally gave her poisoned berries in his ignorance of wild plant life? Should he let her ride in front of him, resting back on his chest? Was that unsafe? For him, sure. Feeling the warmth emanating off of her, the almost soothing way she breathed, the way she would occasionally twitch, and send his mind into a thousand places to try to reason out the cause. Yes, this was unsafe for him, but is that what any other soldier would do? Wouldn't they have let her sleep? Or... was that just him?

“Link?” Zelda muttered, as if she knew where Link's thoughts lie.

Looking around, Link realized that he’d been lost in his thoughts for far, _far_ longer than he thought. He hummed his acknowledging response to her.

She felt his chest vibrate, and she sat forward. “Can we stop? I’m really quite tired, and I just want to rest.”

Link started looking deeper into the woods for a rock formation, a cave. “You’re the one who-- just yesterday, actually-- told me you wanted to ride for as long as possible before stopping.”

“Well, this is as long as possible. I want to stay out here tonight and find an inn or something for tomorrow. I can’t… I _truly_ cannot go another night without a bed.”

“As you command then, Majesty,” Link said with a grin. He felt Zelda halfheartedly swing at his leg, but he veered off the path and into the woods. It didn’t take long to find a small outcropping that they could stay under in relative seclusion.

Several nights earlier, Link had been surprised to learn that Zelda was more capable than he was at starting a fire. She’d attributed it to her time working in Hyrule Field, and since then, Link had been the material gatherer, and Zelda had been the fire starter.

Within minutes, the fire was crackling with life as the sun set on them. Zelda rested her head on her arms as she pulled up her legs. But over the fire, she could see Link staring at the flames intently.

She didn’t realize she was watching him until her brain finally caught up with her, but her eyes drifted over him several times, taking in everything about him. He was sitting against the wall, further from the warmth, but looking far more comfortable with one outstretched leg and his arm resting loosely over his pulled-up other leg.

He had a piece of hair dangling over his eye, and she realized that he might actually be used to having this longer hair, since it didn’t seem to bother him. He’d begun to tie it out of his face since having the means to do so thanks to a small piece of twine from the farm. Or perhaps he was simply waiting to cut it for a day when he had sheers, and his self-restraint to _not_ push the hair from his face was far greater than hers. It was silly, but she felt like asking him what he looked like _before_ becoming a prisoner was almost too invasive of a question. She couldn't logically reason-out how that was, but it just struck her as _too_ personal. Perhaps one day, she might feel like she could ask. She found herself longing to know more about the soldier that Fate had cast into her life. 

She noticed that the stubble along his face was far shorter than when she’d first met him. She'd remembered seeing him the last time they'd stopped trying to tame it while dangling precariously over the edge of a slow-moving stream with a knife meant for fighting. Honestly, she'd been impressed that he'd managed what he had, and didn't return to her with a bloody face covered in small cuts. Still, it didn’t look perfectly tamed or even soft, but then again, very little of him did. She could tell he’d thinned out from his time in the dungeons, but he was lean and muscular. Every part of him was rough and coarse; his calloused hands that held swords, or reins, the fingers that had been trained to draw bowstrings, his skin that bore far too many scars for someone as young as him, and there were sets of lines that seemed to settle permanently above his eyes from concentration. When she wasn't talking to him, his eyes were constantly darting around, and she could almost see several battle and escape plans forming in the hard lines.

She doubted there was anything soft about him.

Except his hair. Or the way those same attentive eyes lost their hardness when he looked to her. Or the…

“Are you admiring me, Princess?” Link said with a smirk over the fire. He was glad to find the opportunity to use that line against Zelda after she’d asked him the same thing.

She hadn’t even seen his eyes focus on her, and she felt her cheeks heat up, unsure how long she'd been caught staring. “Yes. I am. You’re terribly distracting.” And that was true. His eyes reflected the dancing flame as he grinned at her. She felt an incredibly strong rush of butterflies in her stomach that she was determined to ignore.

“How am I distracting? I’m just sitting here. I thought you wanted to sleep.”

“There isn’t much you have to do to be distracting, Link,” Zelda laughed, pointedly letting her eyes rake his body.

A shiver raced through him as he watched her eyes. No matter what she said, Link always felt the conflicting emotions within him, not limited to excitement, a desire to reciprocate her compliments, and panic because she was the Princess. He never knew which would emerge victorious in his mind, though he often found that his voice responded with its own mind: the mind of a young man talking to a young woman, rather than a soldier to his sovereign. 

“I know the feeling," he said, trying to keep his face neutral as he turned away from her, trying to channel his inner-soldier, to call forth all the years of training he'd endured. "Sorry," he muttered, though it was a half-hearted apology with very little sincerity, like it was rehearsed. Like it was just the _expected_ response he should give after his implication.

But Zelda smiled, “Despite what you might believe about royalty, we are—in fact—human. _Distractions_ are often welcome.” She shrugged. “But you’re right, I am tired. Goodnight, Link.”

Link chuckled and shook his head, feeling his own eyes growing heavy. But he'd stay up for some time yet, to make sure they were safe enough for the night. He'd be left with the company of his own thoughts, ones that drifted between his old life, and the one he was living now. The one that had the Princess of Hyrule in it. 

Zelda laid down in the warmth of the fire, warmed not just by the flames, but also by the heat she could feel on her back from Link’s gaze.


	16. Chapter 16

_Zelda took the long, thin sword from her father, staring at it uneasily. “I don’t know how to use this!”_

_Her father put his hands on her shoulders to steady her before gently cupping her cheek. “By every god and goddess, I hope you don’t have to figure it out. Keep this on tight,” he said, pulling a string on her armor to keep it from loosening. “And whatever happens, my sweet child, do not look back. The guards, your mother, and I will protect you.” He bent down to her sister, who was on the floor, tying something to her leg. “Aelia, follow your sister, and take this.”_

_Aelia looked at the knife uneasily. “I don’t want it.”_

_“Aelia,” Zelda said, running a soothing hand through her sister’s hair. “Take it. Hold it tight. And like father said, pray you don’t have to use it.”_

_The door burst open, and a soldier ran inside, panting for breath and clutching his bloody side. “He’s here. Somehow, he’s made it to this floor. We must get you—”_

_An arrow went through the guard’s neck, sending him to the ground as every soldier made for the hallway, blocking every path to the royal family._

_"No," Zelda hissed, looking around frantically. Their way out was blocked._

_“My loves,” her mother said, holding out both her hands. “Come here. Be with me. Let’s go.”_

_“I love you,” the king said, taking his time to look at all three of them before turning once again to the door as it flung wide. His own sword was ready in his hand. And though he knew how to use it, he was no warrior._

_The queen grabbed both her daughters by the wrist and ran as fast as she could with her children in tow towards the room behind the throne where a secret passage led downstairs._

_“Take him!” a deep voice boomed from the hallway. “And don’t let them get away!”_

_“Hurry!” her mother whispered, pulling her children harder, heedless if she was causing them pain. She was single-minded in getting them out, at any cost._

_The passage was in view in front of them when an arrow whooshed by their heads, just narrowly missing the queen, but she didn’t falter._

_Until a soldier grabbed the collar of her dress and pulled her backwards, ripping her hands from her daughters, her nails digging into Zelda’s wrist and tearing the skin at the force of being pulled back._

_"Go!" she screamed, trying to gain her footing before using her nails as he only weapon against the soldier._

_Zelda and Aelia shrieked at once, but Zelda recovered first and grabbed her sister, pushing her ahead towards the passage when she saw Ganondorf's men converging. She was afraid that she might have pushed her sister so hard that she'd fall down the stairwell, but Aelia maintained her footing._ _"Aelia! Run!" Zelda yelled, slamming the trick wall closed as she turned to face their pursuers. She_ _raised the sword she’d been given , waving it around frantically, just trying to buy time. But it was easily swatted away, and she felt two guards restrain her with a force she'd never felt in her life that had her crying out in pain as she was forced to her knees._

_The soldiers were too quick to figure out how to re-open the wall, and only moments later did they return, pulling her sister violently out from the passage. The small room echoed with their screams as they were dragged towards their parents._

_When they were thrown to the ground in the throne room, Zelda scrambled to cover her sister, clutching her protectively inside her arms, holding her tightly as if it might be enough to keep her safe._

_But it wouldn’t be enough._

Zelda sat up and covered her mouth to stop the sob she felt rising through her throat. She blocked her nose to keep the noise silent, and turned to Link, hoping she hadn’t woken him. But when she saw him, she almost wished she had woken him.

He was lying on the ground, his chest heaving, his eyes shut, but fluttering wildly in a dream himself. She could hear him mumbling, though the noises he was making weren’t any language, just sounds. His body jerked and twitched.

She remembered seeing this happen to him when they’d been in the cells, but she’d attributed it to pain or discomfort. But this time, when she saw his hand subconsciously fumble for his knife, she scrambled over and tossed it out of his reach, grabbing his arm and shaking.

“Link? Are you alright?” When his head thudded against the hard ground as he turned, she scooted closer, lightly touching his chest and shaking. “Link.”

For once, she was glad that he was a notoriously light sleeper. His eyes flung open and looked around quickly before settling on her.

“Zelda?”

“Yes.”

He swallowed and pressed his hand against hers, trying to slow his racing heart. “Are you okay?”

“Are you? You looked distressed, and you were reaching for your knife.”

“My…” he cleared his throat and sat up, looking around and feeling his chest before checking his hand, like he was looking for blood. “I’m fine. I’m sorry I woke you.”

“You didn’t. I was already awake.”

Looking out at the sky, Link groaned. It was still dark. He reached behind him and tossed one of the smaller sticks they’d gathered back into the dying embers of the fire, and the thistles caught quickly, allowing him to throw a larger piece on top.

It took a minute for Zelda to look from the flames towards Link. “Were you having a nightmare, Link? Or were you in pain?” she felt guilty, realizing that she’d been unable to tell between the two.

“Aren’t the two the same?” he said with an easy, unaffected grin. It was a mask, but his expression shifted to one that was far more alert as he looked around, hand almost subconsciously snaking closer to his sword. “Why were you awake? Did you hear something outside?”

“No, no, I…” he hesitated, wondering if she should just pass it off as nothing as well, but Link looked ready to kill something, believing she'd been awoken by some noise. “I had a nightmare as well.”

“Oh," he breathed, letting his hand relax as he looked over her tired form. "I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I don’t think they’ll ever go away. I'll just have to learn to sleep through them.”

“They’ll go away,” Link said, almost too confidently. “Sure, they’ll come back sometimes, but it won’t always be so bad. You used to have them in the cells, you know.”

“Did I?” she asked, sliding closer to the fire. “I don’t remember. I just know I have them often.”

The two fell into a comfortable silence, but Link could see how Zelda had become tense, trying to keep her eyes open against the glow of the flames. She absently rubbed her arm, like she was distracting herself, or comforting herself.

Link sighed, knowing too well what was going through her mind. “Did I ever tell you about this scar on my hand?”

Zelda scooted closer to him as he held his hand out, palm up. There was an old white scar that ran horizontally across the length of his palm. He turned his hand over for her to see, and though it was slightly harder to spot, there was an equal scar on the other side, just below his knuckles.

“No. I think I might have just assumed that most of your scars were from Ganondorf. Silly assumption of mine. You were a soldier for far longer.”

He chuckled darkly. “No, you can tell the ones Ganondorf gave me. They’re all the fresh ones.” He cleared his throat and stared back at his palm. “This is what I was dreaming of. The day I got this.”

“What happened?” Zelda asked, absently taking his hand and tracing a finger over the scar, surprised that she’d never noticed the slight bump in his skin.

Link’s eyes were locked on her finger as it ran along his skin. There was a long pause before he finally found the breath he needed to compose an answer. “It was a few years ago. My closest friend was a man just a little older than me, Kayne. He was one of those soldiers you’d find in a tavern on his days off, and when he wasn’t allowed to do that, he played music for everyone at camp.

“One day, we’d pushed back some moblins and dinolfos who’d taken up residence near a town. It was a pretty bad fight and we lost too many. We were licking our wounds when someone reported that all of our scouts had been killed, and our sentries were found dead. Then, we found our people dead in the middle of camp, like magic.

“But it wasn’t magic. Kayne had made a deal with Ganondorf's forces to take out the guards and strongest fighters first from the inside. I didn’t suspect him, and when we'd gone out to 'investigate', I found myself pinned deep into the trunk of a tree, a knife driven straight through my hand. When I went to pull it out, he'd been quick to break my other arm so I would be too weak to pull the knife out. I had to watch as he led the moblins and dinolfos right back into camp and slaughtered whoever was left. There were a few who got away, and he left me there because of our former friendship, but we later learned that he’d joined Ganondorf’s forces a few weeks earlier to save his skin. I don’t know what happened to him, but there are nights when I can still see his face covered in the blood of our friends. That's what I was dreaming about.”

Zelda scoffed. “That’s horrible. You’ve seen far worse things than I have, and yet I complain so often about my losses.”

“Hey,” Link said, taking her hand in his to get her full attention. “It’s not a competition. Your losses aren’t the same as mine, so we’ll never feel them the same way. I’ll never know the pain of losing a sister. It's just... you're not alone. I understand what it is to close your eyes and see everything you wish you could forget. You don't have to, but I'm here if you ever need to get something off your chest.”

“Thank you. What a pair we are,” Zelda mused, shaking her head. “Nightmares of massacres, trapped in cells, stuck in a world that wants us dead. It seems the Goddess wanted my people to know suffering. Are we only meant to know darkness now? Is there no chance for happy moments to be found in this new world?”

Link stared over at her and let his eyes drift to their still joined hands. “Meeting you didn’t happen in the best circumstance, but when I think back on it, I’m glad to have met you. To me, being in those cells had a very happy moment in the midst of that horror. If I hadn’t been there, I’d never know you, and that would be a great loss for me.”

Zelda smiled and bit her lip, embarrassed by his candor, despite reciprocating it. “I’m glad it was _you_ I met down there. There’s no one I can imagine being here with. You know, my father would have liked you. He’d have thought you were an exceptional person, and a great soldier. You’d likely have been invited to join the royal guards if he’d known you. I wish I’d known you far longer than I have. And in brighter times.”

Link grinned and rolled his eyes to try to fight back the redness in his face, thankful for the orange glow of the flames. “You will, Zelda. I don’t plan on disappearing anytime soon, so you’ll know me far longer than you’d like to by the time this is done.”

With a soft chuckle, Zelda yawned. “ _You’ve_ been a light in these times. You make me laugh when I think I’ve forgotten how.”

“You’re not bad at that yourself, Princess.”

He laid back on the ground and patted the spot beside him. Zelda looked at him hesitantly, ad Link smirked. “This is proven to prevent nightmares, and I think I might need you, Princess.”

Zelda shook her head with a laugh and crawled beside him, “I’m not sure where you get your facts from.”

He slid his arm underneath her head so she rested in the crook of his arm, and he pulled her closer to him, forgetting that she was the princess in this moment. That piece of hair fell into her face again, and he turned so his other arm could push it behind her ear. “Then I guess you’ll just have to trust me.”

Zelda smiled as her eyes fluttered closed. “I can do that.”

Link felt his heavy eyes close as his smile broadened. “Sleep well, Zelda.”


	17. Chapter 17

Zelda could feel Link’s arms tighten around her waist from behind in fear for his life as she accidentally nudged Epona with her foot, sending her flying forward in the wrong direction.

“Watch it!” Link hissed into her ear, reaching out to grab the reins.

But Zelda elbowed him away, perhaps a little too forcefully, “I’ve got it!” She slowed Epona and let out a breath. It would have been embarrassing if she couldn’t slow the horse.

“I thought I’d die for you on a battlefield, but never _with_ you on a horse,” Link laughed.

“Shut up, Link. It wasn’t that bad.”

“No, you're right. When one’s life flashes before their eyes, it’s usually a good thing.”

She turned to glare at him, but the harsh motion signaled Epona to move again, and Zelda groaned, leaning further away from Link as he chuckled.

“You know, when I was learning to ride back home,” Zelda started once she’d regained control, “I would practice for an hour or two at a time. We have been riding for far longer than that. _Forgive me_ ,” she emphasized, “for being a little sloppy as I learn to do this without a saddle.”

Despite Zelda’s desperation to sleep in a bed, they’d spent one more night in the forest, not spotting a town at all. But this time, Zelda felt good that there’d be one, and that today they could finally get their bearings, and some information about her cousin.

“I'm afraid I can’t forgive you, not after all I’ve learned about you today.”

Zelda rolled her eyes, glad that Link couldn’t see the smile on her face. “I could say the same about you, Link.”

“Snakes? _Snakes_ , Princess?” he asked, as if she hadn’t spoken. "We're surrounded by snakes out here. You can't possibly be afraid of them."

She scoffed. “That's a horrible thing to say to someone! I haven't seen a snake!"

"Because you're not looking for them. I'll point the next one out."

Zelda made a noise that was halfway between disgust and horror. "Don't you dare! Besides, they’re a perfectly reasonable fear to have. And it’s my mother’s fault. I didn’t want to touch it and she ran right up to me.”

Link laughed into her ear before scooting further back to preserve her eardrum, and his own sanity. “I just pictured you with some sort of fear of deep, trenches filled with spikes, not something so… normal.”

This time, Zelda snorted. “I don’t know what’s worse, that you think me to be so inhuman with my fears and desires, or how predictable your favorite food was.”

“How was that predictable?” he asked, feigning indigence.

She bit her lip, trying to ignore the flutter in her chest. His joking tone was one of the things she liked most about Link, and she loved how easy it was to bring that humorous side of him. “I don’t know. Just... it fits you.”

“Why? Because I’m a soldier? Or is there something inherently about me that just screams _pulled pork is my favorite food_?”

“Maybe! I don’t know!”

Link laughed, his whole body rocking. “Well I’ll bet yours is something posh and expensive. Flan, cakes, biscuits, white truffles… something like that.”

Zelda turned just enough so she could see him but not affect Epona “It’s quite common actually. Roast duck with potatoes.”

Link made a face. “Well that’s it then, we can’t be friends anymore.”

“Why?” Zelda laughed with her mouth dropping open.

“For one, you’re a duck murderer—“

“—you’re talking about eating a pig!”

“—and two, you’re making me far too hungry for me to still like you. I’m now afraid to see an adorable duck for fear I’ll only visualize it roasted on a plate.”

"Stop being dramatic," she said, trying to calm her laughter. Zelda had to keep her eyes off of him as her face reddened. Goddess, when he made her laugh, it was like she could feel the world righting itself. There was no war, no lost family, just a single moment of unbridled joy. And he knew how to make her feel that often.

But in the longer moments of silence, she always remembered.

“Zelda,” Link said, scooting forward, pressing his hand into her side with an excited tap as he pointed. “A town.”

Without realizing, she threw her head back a little forcefully against Link, not noticing how close he’d moved. They both winced, but Zelda didn’t move away. “Thank the Goddess. I need to get out of these woods!”

“Wait, hop off for a second.”

Link watched Zelda dismount far more gracefully than she had before without a saddle before he hopped off behind her and pulled off the bag that held their few things. He took out the rolled up, hooded cloak they’d been given, and he held it out to Zelda. He also grabbed a small piece of twine, like he kept in his hair.

“Tie your hair back as well, but don’t make it neat.”

“Why?” Zelda asked as she pulled on the cloak.

Link went to run his hand through his hair but stopped and sighed. “Are you really going to make me say it?”

With a bland look, Zelda nodded. “Yes, of course I am. I’m not a mind reader.”

She was surprised that her simple statement had made his ears tinge red, but she waited as he tried to craft a delicate phrase before visibly giving up and just blurting it out.

“Because, you’re beautiful. People will notice you, and there’s very little else you can do to hide it besides looking a bit messy. You’re someone that people stop to stare at regardless of your title, and that’s not good for us right now. You could herd pigs, and people would still stop dead in their tracks to look at you. People will stare, and then they'll figure out who you are.”

This time, Zelda felt the heat rise into her own face. “Oh… you think I’m…?”

“Please, don’t finish that question.” His smug grin was masking something, and she desperately wanted to know what it was he was hiding from her in that moment. But he didn’t lax, “You’re a royal. And you’re a royal _liar_ if you try to tell me you have never been told just how attractive you are. I’d be willing to bet that every single day of your life, there was some man or woman who told you how gorgeous you are.”

Zelda took the twine from his hands, feeling a spark where their skins brushed against the other. “Fine. Yes. People often told me. But half of them wanted something from me, and the other half were trying to get me to marry them and have their children to create a powerful royal lineage. My sister and I used to hear that we were blessed with fine appearances to help us find a better match someday. It was not limited to us. My parents were subjected to the same objectification. It was rarely genuine flattery, and it becomes empty words after that.”

“Well,” Link said, his grin widening in a way that had Zelda rolling her eyes with anticipation of his comment. “I don’t want anything from you, and I’m not… trying to carry on some secret royal lineage of mine, so believe that my flattery is sincere and genuine when I say that you, Zelda..." he paused dramatically, "are going to make a great Queen."

Zelda chuckled and rolled her eyes. "That's not what I was expecting you to say."

Link's mischievous glance made Zelda uneasy in the best way. 

"No? What exactly were you expecting from me, then?" he said. She shrugged, realizing she'd walked herself straight into that one. He didn't waste the moment. "How about that you are equally beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside… and that’s saying something.”

Zelda felt her cheeks redden, but she managed to make a face and tie her hair up into a mess. 

It had Link more than grinning. “For once, Zelda, _you’ve_ gone red on me.” His fingers trailed lightly up the side of her neck, following the red as it deepened. Zelda gasped and closed her eyes, feeling thousands of sensations all at once before opening her eyes to see his staring intently back at her. “Have I gone too far, Princess?”

“No,” Zelda managed to croak out.

His thumb brushed the skin of her throat before he pulled his hand away. “Your heart is racing.”

“Well, what did you expect?” Zelda half laughed, finally finding her voice again. “You do this _thing_ with your eyes when you talk, you know _._ ”

His eyes narrowed, sparkling. “What do I do with my eyes?”

Zelda scoffed, pushing him further away so she could breathe. “ _That_.”

“I’ll be more careful whenever I look at you then,” he laughed, allowing himself one final desperate glance over her before turning back to Epona, his playful, easy, and decidedly _un_ -serious flirting tone that he’d maintained up until now returning as he took over steering Epona for Zelda's sake. “I mean, once we get into town, you _are_ my wife again and I can absolutely compliment you if I want.” Turning, Link winked at her, and he watched Zelda chuckle and brush some of the stray hairs from her face to pointedly keep her eyes off him. Link watched her with an amused grin. “That easy now? I just have to wink?”

She cleared her throat and wrapped her arms around his waist, shaking her head one more time. “I think I liked you better when we were still in the cells.”

Link let out an easy laugh and sighed, leaning back against her just to tease her, and he closed his eyes, realizing just how drunk her laughter in his ear made him.

_Goddess_ , he realized, _he might just be falling for the Princess of Hyrule_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a fluff chapter, and I won't apologize for it!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an FYI, I can't name things to save my life, so I may start stealing names of things from other Zelda games. There is no crossover, I just sat on my computer for about 20 minutes trying to think of a town name and then gave up and went to Zelda II for help. I may also steal character names occasionally, but still no crossover into the actual games.

Zelda had to take a few steadying breaths as they rode into town. She hadn’t been surrounded by this many people in at least a few weeks. The town was no Kakariko: not a small village where everyone knew each other. She recognized it after a few minutes as Saria Town; it wasn’t too small, but also, it didn’t even come close to matching the grandiose scale of Castle Town.

She hadn’t been here in quite some time, and that afforded her some peace of mind, though she kept her face close to Link’s back and her hood up to keep as many people from catching a good look at her as possible.

Link rode behind a milk carriage that was clanking loudly as it made its way down the street. The wheels of the cart rhythmically bounced against the stone path at a much higher volume than Epona’s hooves. He gave Epona an affectionate pat, hoping that the incredible bustle of constant noise wasn’t stressing her out. Poor horse was used to a quiet countryside farm, and she was thrust into _this_.

“How many rupees do we have?” Zelda asked into Link’s ear so she wouldn’t have to yell over the din of the town.

He turned, keeping his voice low. “A room for the night, food, and maybe a change of clothes. We could do two nights, but I’d like to save that for another town, if that’s okay with you.”

“Yes, that sounds good.”

“Probably a stupid question for you, but have you ever been to Saria?”

“I have, but not in some time. I’d love to explore, but I’ll admit my hesitation over lingering too long.”

Link nodded and veered off the main road into a small alley before hopping off Epona and holding his arms out for Zelda. When they were both off, Link rolled the riding blanket up and Zelda strapped it to his pack for him, keeping it safe from thieves that ran rampant in larger towns like this. Of course, so did poverty.

Zelda hated seeing just how dirty the streets had become, and worse, the people who were forced to live in them, curled up in a corner without a second glance up.

“Was this Ganondorf? Or… _us_?” she asked Link when they were away from anyone else.

Link looked behind him one more time, unable to meet her eyes. “It hasn’t gotten better since Ganondorf, but it was also a problem before.”

“My father never told us. He thought we’d have more time to learn. How would I even start fixing this?”

Link shook his head. “I’m not a politician. I’m sorry. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

“No, it’s fine.” Zelda took another look around and made a mental note. _This_ she couldn’t forget. But in order to do anything, she had to safely reach her cousin. “Link, I don’t know if we should use your last name again. What if someone traces us just through our use of your name?”

“They don’t even know me. I’m a nobody, remember? Besides, Link Forrester has to be one of the most common names in Hyrule, and by default, my lovely wife, so is _Zelda_ Forrester.”

She playfully rolled her eyes and pointedly ignored his crooked grin as they came upon the first inn that also had a stable. After paying the fee to look after Epona for the night, Link and Zelda headed inside to secure a room.

“Mhmm,” said the gruff, older man behind the counter. He seemed far more interested with a piece of paper in his hand.

Zelda cleared her throat, and he finally looked up, completely bored. “Yeah?”

“Uh,” Link said uneasily. “Do you have a free room for the night?”

“We do. Twenty rupees…”

Link glanced at Zelda with a smirk clearing his throat aggressively before speaking, “I'm Zeldo Green and this is my wife, Linkle Green.”

Zelda let out a ridiculously loud snort, unable to hide her laughter. Link bit his cheek to stop himself from joining her laughter and pulled her close to him as she felt tears sting her eyes from laughter. She buried her face into his chest to stop her giggling. Link offered the innkeep a bright smile. “We’re newly married. She’s not used to hearing her name with mine. Isn't that right darling?”

She nodded, still laughing. “I’m so sorry,” she said, pulling away. Link fought back an embarrassingly wide smirk as he watched her wipe her wet eyes and take a steadying breath so she could respond. “I cannot get used to it, it seems. You’ll have to call me Mrs. Linkle Green more often.”

“I can do that,” Link mused.

The innkeep didn’t look suspicious or amused, just bored, as if he'd seen one too many young couples with inside jokes in his inn. “Number’s on the key and the door,” he said, taking the rupee from Link. 

“Thank you, Sir. The room is available any time?”

“Yes.”

“Great,” Link muttered before dragging Zelda outside with him. When the door had closed behind them, he turned to Zelda, “You’re horrible! The worst actress I've ever met in my life, in fact!” he chastised with a laugh.

“ _Linkle_ and _Zeldo Green?_ I think I actually died a little,” she admitted, wiping her eyes again. “You just finished saying your real name was fine and then… I just couldn’t. I’m sorry.”

“I have met people with those names before. Not together, though.”

“Goddess, Link—”

“It's Zeldo, actually.”

Zelda felt herself laughing again and had to walk away, biting her lip just to stop. “Give me the rupees. I need to get a pair of pants. I can’t keep riding in this skirt, as comfortable as it is.”

“Not to sound selfish,” Link said, handing them over, “But can we eat when you’re done? There’s a tavern right over there.” He gestured with his head.

Turning to him with the most serious look on her face, Zelda lowered her voice. “Link, I have a better idea. How about we go now, and I’ll get my riding pants before we leave tomorrow. I _need_ to eat as well.”

“I think I love your plan,” Link chuckled, following her as they made their way to a tavern.

Inside, there were tables clustered together, chairs sprawled in the center of the pathways, between the tables so you wouldn’t know where they actually belonged. The room was crowded and lively; there were some musicians in the corner, singing and strumming a away on their instruments with a hearty crowd of drunken dancers, and the circular bar in the center of the room had a barkeep who was watching the performance, bobbing his head jovially.

“Take a free seat, loves,” a woman said as she passed by them, balancing two trays full of drinks and food.

“I think we should live here,” Zelda said, eyeing the food as it passed. “Do we have enough for a drink?”

“Depends,” Link admitted as he obnoxiously peered at the meal on the table beside him.

Link grabbed Zelda’s hand as they shimmied through the crowded room, literally needing to push past some people who blocked the pathway to the tables.

There were no completely empty tables in the tavern, so they sat beside each other at one where the other occupants didn’t seem to care much about their presence, having their chair turned completely around to face someone else.

Link and Zelda squinted at the signs written in chalk all around them that listed the food and drink that was available.

“We can’t afford a lot of this,” Zelda muttered ruefully.

“On the plus side, we can afford a drink.”

“Thank the Goddess,” Zelda laughed. She could use one… or several. “Would you hate sharing, then? We’ll get to save some rupees that way.”

“Sure. What do you want?”

They looked around the room again, deciding what they would both want, and waited until the waitress came back over.

“Hey hons,” the woman said again when she finally spotted them, “What can I get you?”

They’d decided to share a large ale along with their cheap, simple chicken. It came out fairly quickly, and they whoofed it down without either of them stopping to take a drink.

When they were finished and paid for their meal, they sat back, looking around the tavern with a small grin on each of their faces.

Zelda grabbed the drink first and swirled it around, wincing at the unexpected taste of something so watered down. “I wish this was wine.”

“There was none,” Link laughed, taking the drink from her. To him, it tasted normal, like he wasn’t used to rich vintages and aged drinks like the princess would have been. “So, have you ever been somewhere like this?”

Looking around at the absolute chaos, Zelda shrugged. “I have been to taverns, but never this crowded. However, I’ve been in some larger crowds where there was music, drinks, and a fair bit of claustrophobia. So, I suppose my answer depends for how specific of an answer you wanted.”

“Well, I was looking for a yes or a no, but I _suppose_ you covered it.”

“I wonder what everyone thinks of Hyrule now?” she muttered so low that Link strained to hear her beside him.

He took another swig and handed the drink back to Zelda. “Come on.”

“Why?”

“We’re going to figure it out.”

Zelda chuckled and took Link’s hand, sliding out beside him, their drink still firmly in her hand as he dragged her closer to some friendly looking drunk men and women. They looked like soldiers.

“Hey,” Link said casually, “Are you from around here?”

“Yeah,” a woman answered with a bright, welcoming smile. “You?”

“No, actually.” Link rested his hand on his sword and glanced back at Zelda. “My wife and I just managed to escape from Castle Town. We’re trying to find somewhere to settle. How’s the atmosphere around here?”

“Ack!” one of the men grunted. “Don’t stay here. Keep going. The usurper’s men find their way up here often to conscript the younger kids and send hordes of moblins up when we don’t give ‘em up. Keep ridin’ east.”

Link nodded and relaxed against the wall with Zelda pressed up beside him. He lowered his voice. “I’ve heard rumors. Rumors that there is still a royal alive in the castle and that Prince… whatever his name is has been riding to the rescue. Any truth to that?”

The woman answered again, still smiling brightly. “Gods be good if there’s a royal alive. But you hear right. Prince Darius, I think his name is, he’s riding south now. We got good people ready to join him. You want the info? You look like you're in well-enough shape to join up.”

“He’s to the north then?” Link said, looking between their nodding heads. It was a start, if nothing else. “I’d join, but I think we’ll take your advice and keep heading east. Find somewhere safer to settle. We're... newly married. We aren't looking to spend months apart because of a war. But you’ve been helpful. Thank you.”

“Anytime! Hey, congrats on the wedding! Find us here if you ever decide to join up. I'm sure the war will last long enough for you two to be sick of each other!" they all but shouted as Link and Zelda headed away.

Zelda took a long swig of the drink, leaving the last sip for Link. “Well, we got somewhere with them. Though it was a bit vague.”

“The further north we go, the more information people will have.”

“North, tomorrow then?”

“Yeah,” Link said, finishing the drink. “North it is.”


	19. Chapter 19

Zelda woke up wrapped in Link’s arms, groggy, but awake. It had been one of the best nights she’d slept since before her capture.

The bed was soft, comfortable, and welcoming, and there had been no midnight interruptions of nightmares or runaways. Link’s arms were warmer than the blanket, but Zelda reveled in it.

But she could see the bright sun peaking through the window, and she knew they had to move sooner than later.

She grinned to herself and let her finger trace an old, faded scar up Link’s arm. He made a noise and stirred immediately, pulling her closer in the process, and she knew she'd been caught thanks to his inability to sleep through anything. Zelda chuckled and lightly pried his arm from her.

“Morning,” he muttered, letting go of her so she could stand, though he made no move to join her.

“It’s getting late.”

His eye peaked open and glanced at the window before shutting again. “Five more minutes, then I’ll get up. You should take five, too,”

She rolled her eyes and sat up, grabbing her things from the end of the bed and moving to Link’s back, so he couldn’t watch her change. She made sure there was no mirror this time, but the only one in the room was angled far from where she stood.

As she was about to pull her boots on, she heard a noise from outside the widow and glanced at Link. He sat up, hearing it for himself as well, and they both quickly made their way over to glance outside. But all they could see were people running.

“Great, something else. Do you think we'll ever catch a break?” Link muttered, sitting up.

"Not as long as Ganondorf leads his minions," Zelda muttered bitterly.

Link headed into the hallway and stopped someone who was coming up the stairs from the ground floor of the inn. “What’s happening?”he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

“Another moblin raid, courtesy of the King,” they said without stopping.

Link cursed and turned to Zelda, who was listening. “What a shock," she muttered dryly. However, the more she thought about it, the more her angered expression shifted to fear. "He’s attacking everywhere that we are. Do you think he knows where we are?”

Link shook his head. “I don’t. I think he’s just trying to wipe out everyone left who opposes him before your cousin arrives. I think we’re just in the wrong place, but there is no _right_ place to be if this happens everywhere. Here’s our moment, Zelda. We still have time to get out and ride north. It's a good distraction.”

Zelda crossed her arms and sighed. “You saw the looks on their faces yesterday. They’re defeated. We could help.”

“Defeated folk won’t fight well,” Link conceded. 

“I know. But… those soldiers, that whole tavern… they were all so full of life. I’ll bet they’d fight to keep it.”

“Those who fight for their loved ones and their lives have more incentive to fight harder,” he said, countering his own earlier point. 

“Which do we do?” Zelda breathed.

“I can’t make this decision, _Your Highness._ ”

Zelda rolled her eyes at his tone, even though she knew he was right. This one had to be her call, because he would follow her no matter what.

“We’d be separated,” she noted. 

Link nodded and started to grab his things, getting them together either way. “We would. And I might not come back. Or you might be overrun. Things can go any number of unpredictable ways.”

She made a frustrated noise and tied her hair back, her decision made. “These are my people. I was never taught to run when there were those in need. I’ll offer the field surgeon my skills. You can fight, or stay with me.”

“They wouldn’t let me stay with you if I tried,” he laughed, pulling his chainmail out. “A healthy fighting-age man doing nothing in a medical tent? I’d be killed by our allies for that one.”

“Then it's settled; we'll stay to try and stop this raid. I can't just run. As long as neither of us are hurt, we ride hard and fast out of here as soon as it’s done. We need distance.”

“Agreed,” Link said, handing her his other knife once he’d gotten the familiar uniform on. “Keep this one in your boot, just to be safe.”

“Link!” Zelda said, grabbing his arm before he reached the door handle. She hesitated and closed her eyes. “I _command_ you to come back alive.”

When she opened them, she wondered if she was mistaking the expression on his face. It was warm, soft, and altogether something she’d only seen on the faces of others.

He closed the gap between them and shocked her by reaching out to brush his knuckles lightly against her cheek. “In that case, I expect you to be there—safe as well-- when I do.”

“Take Epona. You might need her.”

Link let his fingers run their path one more time before stepping back. “Okay. I’ll meet you in the medical area when I get back. Leave our things here.”

“Okay. Be safe.”

Link nodded once before heading into the hallway, mixing with the other frantic residents of the inn. Zelda grabbed what she could, and then joined the chaos herself to make her way to the physician.

* * *

Zelda tied a simple band of cloth across her hair, keeping loose strands from dangling in her way as she smoothed down the apron she’d been given.

“You!” a female physician called to Zelda. “Grind these herbs together. They’re used—”

“For a poultice,” Zelda finished, grabbing them from the table and placing them in the mortar.

“Oh, you’re the one they said has experience?” the physician turned to her, watching as she worked.

“I do, yes.”

“Good. We’ll need those who are ready to help, but those who are trained are all the more use. Name?”

“Zelda.” She glanced over, and it was clear that the physician was waiting for her surname as well. Clearing her throat, Zelda debated using Green again, like at the inn, but she’d been Linkle, not Zelda. She could make something up, but no names would come to her fast enough. “Zelda Forrester.”

“Call me Nim. Okay Forrester, get clean bandages ready, sterilizers, thread, needles, a fire, and keep a knife ready over the coals. When you’re done, find water, rags, take this to one of the runners and have them go to the apothecary to get the things I’ve written down.”

Nim went back to mixing her own concoction and looked up as someone else entered the area. “It’s about time.”

The man shrugged. “I had to explain that I’m not a soldier before they tried to throw me into the field.”

Nim glanced behind her at Zelda. “This one is our best shot at an assistant. She’s done this before.”

He went up to Zelda and held out her hand. “Shad. Pleasure to meet you…”

Zelda brushed her hand and shook his. “Zelda Forrester.”

“Shad,” Nim called. “Go get the other volunteers set up. Have them put out bed rolls or something.”

Just then, there was a far-off group shout, voices raised and energized by everything around them. And not long after came the echoing of metal on metal.

“Are they that close?” Zelda whispered, turning to the other two.

“Yes and no,” Shad said, pushing the rims up as they slid off his nose. “The dimensions of the plain they are fighting on offer a decrease of sound reduction, allowing it to travel all the way to us. However, we should not fear that anyone will stumble upon our setup here, as we are far enough away. And even if they do, we still have a barrier of some soldiers between us and Saria Town. to keep some soldiers close to both. ”

As used to the noises of battle as she was, Zelda swallowed and sent a silent prayer to all the gods and goddesses who might be listening.

* * *

“Forrester!” Nim snapped. “I need some of the valerian root! Fast!”

Zelda hurried to grab what they’d prepared, using her own thoughts to drown out the screams of the soldier in pain in front of Nim. Nim took everything from Zelda, who retreated back to the soldiers with lesser wounds, and stitched up one’s leg before tying the other’s arm into a sling. They couldn’t afford to give every injured soldier a potion, and they had to make do.

But Zelda turned as another soldier with an arrow in her leg was dragged onto the table.

“Can you get that one?” Shad asked, holding his hand down over a dark wound on his own patient, trying to stop the blood. “Or do you need help?”

Zelda examined the arrow. It seemed mostly intact, save for a small section of splintered wood. “I can do this one.”

Lifting the soldier’s leg onto a chair offered the space for the arrow not to touch anything while Zelda looked at it closer once more. “What’s your name?”

“Trice,” the soldier hissed.

“Well, Trice, I’ll have this out in a moment, don’t worry. You might be uncomfortable, but this first part shouldn’t hurt.” Zelda grabbed sheers that had been supplied for them and clipped the arrowhead off, allowing her the maneuverability to pull the remainder of the shaft from Trice’s leg.

“You know what you’re doing?” Trice asked, glancing at Shad.

“I do,” Zelda assured her after seeing her hesitant gaze. “I’ve done this before, but he only just met me. He doesn’t know.”

Zelda dumped some of the disinfectant onto the cloth and held it ready. “This one will likely hurt more. Are you ready?”

Trice nodded and gripped the bed as Zelda pulled the rest of the arrow out, pressing hard with the cloth. She handed it off to one of the other volunteers.

“Candle, please,” Zelda said, holding out her hand. The volunteer gave her one that had a protector from wax drippings around it. Lowering her hand, she could just see deep enough into the wound to see that there was one small piece of wood from the splintered arrow that needed to come out. She handed the candle off for another to hold and grabbed a nearby tool with a long nose that she could use to reach in deeper than her hand.

Trice let out a harsh cry as Zelda tugged on the wood that was lodged into internal pieces of the body that were never meant to be touched. She pulled it slowly, despite the blood that was dripping onto her from the wound, and set both down on the ground to grab the cloth once again.

“You’ll be alright,” Zelda all but hummed in her most soothing voice. “Let’s get you all stitched up now.”

* * *

Zelda had enjoyed a small break between the last three soldiers who’d come in. They’d informed everyone that there are far more wounded on the field, and that the dinofols and lizafols who were with the moblins were posing a much greater threat. Several of the better-trained men and women headed further out to meet them, while the volunteers who were simply interested in saving their village were fighting the moblins. The last three wounded had been from the latter, and had reported no word from those who’d ventured farther out.

Keeping her mind off the fact that Link would undoubtably follow the dinofols, she sat beside Shad and waited for more to be brought in.

Eventually, soldiers on horses returned, dragging bodies of the dead and wounded back, the ones who couldn’t safely escape the battlefield for wound treatment.

Shad and Nim held their breaths as they saw just how many had been injured and killed. Shad spoke first. “We won’t be able to keep defending the town at this rate. We won’t have any residents left.”

But Nim passed by them both. “I’d rather die than stop fighting. So get out here and help me bring the worst inside.”

* * *

Zelda could feel herself covered in blood by the time they’d saved those they could still reach in time. Her hands were the only things she bothered to keep washed, and that was only for the sake of staying clean and sterile.

“Miss?” she heard from a soft voice. She looked around to see a young man lying on the ground, covered in blood.

Kneeling beside him, she looked over his wounds. No. He wasn’t going to make it another ten minutes.

“Hello,” Zelda said sweetly, taking the boy’s hands.

The boy tried to get a word out, but Zelda could hear the choke of blood in the back of his throat. She tried to calm him as he realized it too, and his breathing sped up. Zelda helped roll him onto his side so he could spit as much out as possible.

“Miss? M-my mother… she… she doesn’t know… I came here. But… I’m going to… die, aren’t I? She'll be so angry.”

Zelda looked him over. His dark brown hair and eyes were wide with anticipation and fear, but mostly with shame. Because this… _boy_ … had snuck away from his mother to protect his town.

“What’s your name?”

“Giles Hatch.”

“Hi Giles. Tell me, where’s your mother? What’s she look like? Perhaps I can send someone to find her.” It was nothing more than an attempt to take the boy’s mind off his pain. She’d never make it to the village and back before the boy stopped breathing.

“She… she… people say I look like her.”

Zelda ran her hand through his hair. “I’ll make sure someone finds her. Just hold on, okay?”

“Okay,” he breathed out, though it was harsh and labored.

“Is there anyone else we should look for? Do you have any other family you want here?”

“No. I have a… nephew. They tried… to take him. He shouldn’t see this though.”

“You fought bravely for him, Giles.” Zelda fought back a tear. Though he appeared to be older than them, he reminded her of Ellie and Aelia. Too young to bear the burden of their world.

“He’s… safe?”

“He is. You saved him.”

Giles smiled, but it immediately faded as he rapidly gasped several times, fighting to find any traces of air in his lungs. Zelda shushed him, grabbing his hand and smoothing back the hair on his sweating forehead.

Giles managed to take in one more breath and squeezed Zelda’s hand. “Don’t let go.”

She shook her head, holding on to his hand with both of hers. “I won’t. I’ll hold your hand until the Goddess herself takes it from me.”

His lips mouthed a thank you, but he never uttered another word. And Zelda sat there, holding his hand in hers until it began to feel cold. Only then did she find the energy to stand up and move to the next dying soldier to do it all again, praying each time she stood that the next face she was met with wasn't Link's.


	20. Chapter 20

Zelda washed her hands for perhaps the two hundredth time. It wasn’t that she’d seen two hundred soldiers, but somehow, if she so much as looked at one of them, they seemed to get their blood on her.

The rush had calmed down significantly, though several people still came in. She was left to the simpler tasks unless both Nim and Shad were busy, so as she finished her millionth stitch, she sat back and wrung out her fingers, glancing at the entrance to the tent for the billionth time, waiting for Link to come through. And again, she was met with the face of a stranger.

“That’s the last of them,” the soldier said, setting down a young woman.

“Zelda?” Nim asked, gesturing for her to take the patient.

But Zelda couldn’t move her legs. “Wait! The last? There’s no one else out there?”

The soldier who’d carried her in shrugged. “None alive. We’re all back here now. Are you looking for someone?”

That moved Zelda to her feet. She hurried outside and glanced around at the weary warriors, many of whom were simply resting, or sitting by the fire, chatting of something far happier than all that they’d just witnessed.

She moved with a speed she didn’t know she had, ignoring Nim and Shad calling out for her to return to her patient, deaf to the soldier repeatedly asking her who she was looking for.

“Ma’am!” the man finally said, pulling her arm to stop her from running around. “Who are you trying to find? Let me help. You look… well… you’re likely scaring some of the soldiers.”

She looked down at herself, forgetting that all of herself but her arms were covered in blood. Even her face was barely clean, smears that had come from her wiping away sweat or an itch were still evident on her forehead and her cheek.

“Link Forrester. But I don’t see him.”

The man put a hand on her arm and gently pushed her in the direction of the medical tent. “I’ll go see if he’s anywhere, or if anyone knows where he might be. He could have taken someone into the village. You never know.”

Zelda knelt down and ran her hands along her face. Had she done it again? Had she made the wrong choice? What if Link was injured? Worse, what if he was dead? What would she do?

And in that moment, she realized that her brain wasn’t asking how she’d get to her cousin, or who would escort her, but _what would she do?_

Link had so quickly and so fiercely become a part of her life, and though she’d known him for mere weeks, it felt like a lifetime. Every day, she’d spent by his side. Every night, she’d been close to him. They’d been each other’s sole companions during most days, and they’d talked the other to sleep most nights. And the realization that all this might stop, that there was a possibility he’d _never_ actually return hadn’t dawned on her until that moment.

Sure, they’d mentioned it, but everything seems unlikely until it happens. Zelda never thought her parents would be usurped and murdered. She never thought she’d outlive her kid sister. She never imagined being trapped in a hole in the ground, left to wait for an inevitable death that seemed like it would never have come. So the thought of Link genuinely dying had never crossed her mind.

She felt like someone had grabbed hold of her, threatening to squeeze her arm too hard and break a bone, but equally threatening to let go, and leave her empty. It was a feeling she never got to experience with her family. They were dead before she could even process that they might be killed. But Link was _gone_.

“I heard you two talking,” someone said, coming up to her. “Don’t get your hopes up, little lady. There was a slaughter on the field. You look like you’ve already seen most of it. We won, but it was not without heavy losses. If you can’t find him now, you shouldn’t expect to see him again.”

The world came down to Zelda breathing. It was all she could hear, much like when she’d been imprisoned in her isolation cell. She found herself walking blindly back beside the medical tent and dropped down to her knees. She’d gone behind the tent so there was some measure of privacy, and she took Link’s knife out of her boot, staring at it. With a sharp breath, she drew the blade lightly across her palm, just enough for some blood to come out. She let it drip into the grass and closed her eyes, lowering her voice in a prayer to the Goddess. 

“Goddess Hylia, grant me the strength that I cannot wield. Close my eyes when I cannot sleep. Move my feet when I cannot walk. Lead when I cannot follow. Your blood was shed, take mine. Your body is gone, direct mine. And guide those back to me whom I have lost. I beseech you this in an hour when you are most needed. Take all I can give, and by your will, offer it back.”

When she opened her eyes again, her hand had stopped bleeding. It had been so long since she’d uttered the words that she wondered if the Goddess would even still listen to her. She’d missed the chance to intercede for her family. She’d be damned if she was going to lose Link without a fight.

Standing to her feet, Zelda went back into the tent, her eyes going first to Shad, who was looming over the patient she was meant to take. “Are you alright?” he asked, his gaze flickering up before looking back at his work.

“I don’t know.”

Nim handed Zelda a bloody knife. “Whatever it is, take your mind off of it by helping to clean everything off.”

Though Zelda wanted to run out to the field and look for him herself, she knew that she still had to be careful. And everyone she'd spoke to, Link included, knew to find here in the tent.

Later in the night, the man who’d gone searching returned with news that the battlefield was officially clear of all Sarian soldiers. There were only Ganondorf’s forces left. So if Link wasn’t in camp…

Nim and Shad had given Zelda a hard drink for her efforts, as well as a decent pocketful of rupees. All the soldiers were receiving some, but Zelda was no soldier, and she looked between them both.

“You did good work,” Shad finally said. “Despite volunteering, I thought you should have something to show for it.”

And though she’d taken both the drink and the coins, she was most relieved to take them up on their offer to let her sleep in the medical tent and to wash up entirely. She'd taken some time to retrieve her and Link's things from the inn. She slept on a medical bedroll they’d provided, one that offered barely more comfort than lying in the dirt. Zelda kept her boots on thanks to the potential panic that could ensue at any time. The physicians were in the adjacent tent with far nicer accommodations, but she was beyond grateful for this much.

She could feel her face tickling, and her eyes shot open with the bizarre horrified thought that there might be a rather large spider on her face. But it wasn’t a spider. It was a hand.

Blue eyes gazed down at her. His hand moved away just enough so that she could see his whole face.

Zelda had to blink a few times, to see if she was still dreaming. “Link?” she asked cautiously, her groggy brain catching up quickly. He nodded, and Zelda found herself sitting up before she could even remember moving.

She took a moment to look him over. He had some blood stains on his shirt, but they were old and dry. He had a layer of dirt on him, like he’d been rolling around in freshly dug ground. There were a few scrapes on his face, but nothing that wouldn’t heal. His other hand was wrapped up in a shoddy white gauze with some blood on the bandage, but otherwise, he looked perfectly fine.

Which led her to feel safe enough to throw her arms around his neck.

“Whoa!” he laughed, catching her as he fell backwards. He’d been kneeling in front of her, so the fall wasn’t far, but he was surprised with her fierceness as she toppled onto him. “Excited to see me?”

Zelda couldn’t even bring herself to respond, burying her face in his neck, relishing the feeling of his pulse through his skin.

He sat up, still holding her, but balancing on elbow as he realized she wasn't _just_ holding him too tightly. “Zelda? Zelda, hey, what’s wrong? What happened?”

She could suddenly feel her breathing hitch again and again as she realized that she was crying tears of relief.

“You’re not dead,” she finally managed, though she was aware she was speaking too loudly in the middle of the night for someone trying to keep a low profile.

Link leaned back to look at her, confusion written all over his features. His eyes softened, and he wiped away one of her fallen tears. “I’m not dead.”

“They… some of the soldiers came back _hours_ ago saying that there was no one left alive, that only Ganondorf’s people were there. They said they’d brought in all the bodies. I looked at every face. I held most of their hands as they died. They all told me that it was over, that everyone was gone. Where were you?”

Link smoothed her hair back, enjoying the sensation just a little too much to only do it once. “About twenty of us broke off to take on a separate force of dinofols and Hylians loyal to Ganondorf. We ended up far off from the main battle. That’s all.”

“That's all? What happened to your hand?”

He leaned back only enough so he could bring his hand between them, unwrapping it. There was a decent gash against his wrist, but it didn’t look as bad as she’d thought it would.

“A scratch. Zelda, I didn’t realize that you thought we’d all died. I’m sorry. I'm good. Most of us came back just fine.”

Zelda shook her head, bringing both her hands to rest behind his neck. His eyes practically glazed over at the sensation of her nails tickling his skin and hair. But she barely noticed, still focused on the fact that his heart was beating, not how _fast_ it was beating.

“Just don’t die on me again, okay?”

“Mmm,” he managed to croak out.

“Forrester? Everything okay?” came a voice, entering the tent.

Both Link and Zelda looked over, and Zelda felt her cheeks flush when Nim entered the room, glancing several times between her and Link.

Zelda turned to him and bit her lip, lowering her voice and speaking quickly. “She means me. I _may_ have used your name.”

Link’s eyes widened mischievously, glinting with words that didn’t need to be spoken to be heard.

But Nim didn’t wait for Zelda’s response. “Is this that guy you’ve been looking for?”

“Yes,” she said simply, feeling her face heat up every time she had to talk.

“He’s good looking. No wonder you were trying to find him.”

Link sniggered and Zelda rolled her eyes. “He’s alright.”

Link’s smile was huge when Zelda turned back to him. “You were looking for me?”

“I thought you were dead. I didn’t do it to boost your ego.”

Rising to his feet, Link bent down just over Zelda and gently lowered his lips to rest on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered closed, enjoying the moment-- however short-- where she could feel his lips press firmly against her skin. He broke away and rested his own forehead against hers, taking a few breaths, his nose lightly brushing her skin as he looked down at her. It was a few solid moments before he stood up straight once more.

Zelda scrambled to her feet, her heart absolutely pounding through her chest. She grabbed his arm, stopping him from going anywhere… though he wasn’t actually moving.

“Let me look at your wrist,” Zelda said, motioning for Link to sit.

It really wasn’t a bad injury at all, but she grabbed the disinfectant and a fresh bandage before kneeling in front of him, pressing the wet rag to his wrist as he winced. He’d given up on objecting to her help, as he realized it was a futile effort.

“So,” she said, trying to calm herself down and to distract Link from the burning pain in his arm thanks to the medicine, “You’ve been injured often. Which was your worst injury?”

Link looked up and grinned. “I'm shocked you didn't just demand I take my shirt off so you can treat my wrist."

Zelda barked out a quick laugh before quieting herself. "Not this time."

Leaning forward, Link chuckled, getting comfortable. "Okay, my worst injury? Hrmm,” he said, thinking for a moment. “There’s a few. A couple of these cuts weren’t pretty, obviously. Broken ribs weren’t fun either. You can’t breathe without being in pain. Same with a broken jaw. That was up pretty high up there. Oh, I dislocated my elbow once. That one physically looked the worst. My arm looked like there were no bones left. It was far less tolerable than the shoulder you set for me. I have to say though, you’d think those are bad, but the worst is probably whenever I get hit… uh… you know where.”

“What?” she asked, looking up from the bandage she’d nearly finished wrapping.

Link snorted and gestured _down_ with his eyes. Zelda’s mouth dropped in realization, and, despite herself, she realized she’d begun to laugh far too loudly, covering her mouth with her hand. 

Link smirked as he watched her, his eyes sparkling with contagious humor that radiated off of her. “Well, at least _that_ got a laugh out of you.”

“I’m sorry!” Zelda said, though her face said she was anything but. “I wasn’t expecting _that_ as one of your answers. You’re a soldier with all these battle wounds with an incredible story for each one; I didn’t think you’d admit your great weakness was something so _human_.”

With a dramatic gesture, Link sat back when she was done with her work. “I am just a man, Zelda. Metaphorically and physically.”

“Goddess! And to think I missed you!” Zelda laughed again.

Link stood and winked at her, clutching his side. When he noticed Zelda watching him, he held his hand out to stop her needle-happy trigger fingers and pulled his shirt up slightly so she could see. “It’s just a bruise. You don’t need to attack me with another needle today.”

“Hey, Forrester! You still in there?” a voice called.

Zelda didn’t recognize it as Nim or Shad, and she turned to Link. His hand was instinctively on his sword, but he relaxed it when the figure came through the tent flap.

“Hey, you find that girl ye--?”

The man stopped mid-sentence and turned to Zelda, nearly choking as he did.

Zelda grabbed Link’s arm as he reached again for his sword. “No, Link, wait.”

The man's voice lowered to a shocked whisper.

“Princess Zelda! Is it really you?”


	21. Chapter 21

_“Princess Zelda! Is it really you?”_

"Sir Reese?" Zelda gasped, unsure how she hadn't immediately recognized his voice. She rushed to grab Reese by the arm and hurry him outside of the tent into a more secluded area, away from any eavesdropping ears. “Don’t call me by my title,” she said hurriedly before grabbing his hand in a warm greeting. “You escaped?”

Reese looked from her to Link, who was following close behind. “Forrester? What are you doing? Don't you know a private conversation when you see one?”

Zelda saw a look pass between both men, and she felt there was a need to stand between the two. Both of them had their hands ready on the sword at their belt, faces unmoving as they watched the other suspiciously.

“No, Reese, Link is with me. You can trust him.”

“ _You,_ soldier? And you know who she is?”

Link’s lip tipped up ever so slightly, without humor or amusement. “Yes.”

Reese looked back at Zelda. “I saw him fight today. He’s exceptional. But Princess—”

“Don’t call me that.”

“—how do you know you can trust him? He wasn’t one of ours in the castle.”

Reese was a soldier if ever there was one. He could have been the poster-child for any recruitment campaigns that advertised in the villages. He was young too, perhaps Link’s age, and possibly an indication of what Link had once looked like before being starved in the cells below the castle. Zelda imagined that Reese would be the kind of person the old war recruiters would have sent in with useless, sleeveless chainmail just to show how sculpted his arms were, and to have him holding something heavy so they were constantly taut. She'd seen the calls to action for the war, and that certaintly wasn't too far of a stretch. But she knew Reese not as a posterboy, but as one of the royal guards who roamed the halls of the castle day and night. He’d cut his hair so close to his scalp that it was only barely noticeable that it had been black and curly when it was longer when she had last seen him. 

He simply wore a standard set of armor, though, shiny and with an intricate pattern on the front. She cleared her throat. If Link had been worried about _her_ appearance drawing attention to them, she feared that Reese would turn far more heads than even Link would. Though, if she was being honest with herself, she knew which of the two of them she’d choose to stare at.

Zelda had known Reese for about two years, but never to the degree which she’d come to know Link. Still, he’d been vetted by her own father before he’d become a Royal Guard, and she knew he could be trusted. And yet… something about trusting too many people had Zelda on edge. Link had been a gamble that had paid off, but Zelda wasn't interested in playing the odds.

“He helped me escape from the cells below Hyrule Castle before Ganondorf could inflict a far worse torture on me than he already had. Link has selflessly been assisting me in getting to safety. I trust him.”

She glanced to Link and shook her head ever so slightly, cautioning him not to add to her story. He got the hint and let her take the lead.

“Where are you headed, then? I'll escort you the remainder of the way from here. To Prince Daltus?”

“No,” Zelda said quickly, looking almost as if the admission pained her. 

Link watched her closely, finding it difficult to spot any trace of a lie in her voice or nervousness in her body. He realized that there had been a slight change in the way she spoke, her stance, the look in her eye... he realized was watching the Princess of Hyrule for the first time since he’d met her.

Zelda continued, looking around to see that no one had come up on them. “Link is escorting me east to Zora’s Domain. I am hoping to ask for King Zora’s aid in reclaiming the castle. My cousin can continue his campaign and attack from a separate front. If we can keep Ganondorf’s forces divided, we will have a far easier time retaking Hyrule. Once I reach the Domain, I am thinking that I might contact King Auru as well, perhaps reinstate my father's old betrothal contract with him. 

“But Reese, you cannot let anyone know. Link and I are travelling masquerading as husband and wife by the surname Green. Today, we changed it so as not to connect our time at the local inn to our offer to stay and assist with this battle. Look for the name ‘Green’ if you seek us near the Domain the east. Hyrule will be reclaimed soon, but not with a large travelling party.”

“I will follow behind you then, Your Hig—”

“Stop,” she hissed. “Tell me: how did you escape? Were there any others?”

Reese glanced uneasily at Link, who hadn’t relaxed. “How did _he_?”

Zelda was losing her patience, and she took an authoritative step forward. Her title alone was enough for one to show her deference, and Link knew this well as he watched; he’d been weak under the power of her royal demeanor in the past, and he watched Reese succumb to it, bowing his head in deference as Link tried to hide his dry smirk.

“Are you questioning my judgement about my guard?” Zelda asked when Reese’s head turned away ever so slightly, like a child being scolded.

“No. Only your safety. I am your servant first and always, and your safety is my concern.”

She took another step towards him. “I am responsible for my safety as well. So, Sir Reese, tell me how you escaped.”

“I… ran." He sighed, running a hand though his hair as he began to pace. "I’d been left injured when Ganondorf stormed the throne room, so I stayed that way, and when I found myself able, I ran for my life. Forgive my cowardice, Princess. I have not seen any others.”

“I won’t forgive you if you keep calling me _that_ again,” she grumbled, before turning to Link. “How did you meet Reese? He called you ‘Forrester.’”

“We both went after the dinofols.”

“Reese,” Zelda started again. “I’m not even remotely joking when I say that you cannot tell a soul who I am. Link and I are going to continue in the morning.”

“Let me come with you, please,” Reese said, all but throwing himself at her feet.

But Zelda stepped back almost like a reflex, closer toward Link. At her movement, Link’s hand was back on his sword as his eyes darted between her expression, and Reese's grovelling form.

“No. I’m afraid that too many people would attract attention. But I do have a task you could do for me, one I can entrust only to you, to someone I trust. Will you ride ahead to King Zora and tell him that I have ‘two hearts too many?’ It’s code to covertly let him know that I am coming.”

Reese bowed. “Yes, I can do that.”

“Go now so that we may ride fast come the morning.”

“Yes, Maj-- uh, yes, I will do that,” he said with another bow, glancing at Link with something burning behind his eyes before taking off.

When several minutes had passed, Link glanced back at Zelda. She was breathing heavily, and he lightly touched her arm, enough to snap her out of her daze.

“What’s 'two hearts too many' really mean?” he asked carefully.

Zelda glanced in the direction that Reese had gone. “If he actually delivers it? It means I’m in danger.”

“You don’t think he will? Or you think _he's_ the danger?"

Zelda grabbed Link’s arms tightly, her hands shaking slightly as she did. “Link, he was on our floor of the castle when Ganondorf arrived. He was one of our family guards. It was a _massacre_ , but he escaped by playing dead and running? I don't blame him for wanting to live, but I saw Ganondorf’s men. They stabbed the corpses to be sure. Something isn’t right. His story is almost impossible.”

“Zelda,” Link said, lowering his voice, though there was no one around. “Do you need me to… I can… if he’s a threat. I’ll…I can’t word it kindly. I can take Epona and catch up to him before he tells anyone anything. I can…” He grimaced and just let his hand rest on his sword as the end of that sentence. 

“No. I don’t have proof. I could condemn an innocent man if I act hastily, though I appreciate your willingness to do such a thing. And from the way he acted, I believe he will wait for us to leave first before he rides.”

Seeing her expression darken, Link took Zelda’s hand and led her away from where they’d been standing, keeping hold of her in the darkness of the starlit sky. It was unnecessary on their part, but neither minded.

“Well, there's something I have to know now.”

“Go ahead,” Zelda said, expecting something about the massacre.

“You once said you used to go watch your soldiers train. Was he... did you ever...” he let his finger wave around, letting her fill in whatever gaps she wanted to his question as he tried to keep his expression blank as he braced for her answer.

“No!" she gasped, "I mean, he’s very attractive, but no! I never breached that protocol. My sister did, but I told you that story.”

He looked around, and though it was night and they were off to the side, there were still people mulling about. "You strike me as someone who could have found herself breaking some rules. You never did?"

“Why are you asking me this?” she asked, feeling her hand starting to sweat in his.

“I want to know some more about you. And you brought it on yourself by staring at him like he was that roast duck we were talking about the other day.”

Zelda choked out a laugh. “I… gods, this is awkward. Yes, I broke rules. I was a teenager once myself. Never with the guards though. I may once have kissed a nobleman's son just after learning about a new betrothal to some prince though.”

“You're squirming,” Link chuckled. “Tell me what other rules you've broken.”

“No! That's all you get!” she laughed awkwardly, unable to bring herself to talk anymore about it. “What about you? Your said you joined the soldiers so young. What rules did you break? My best guess would be fraternizing.”

Link’s eyes glistened as he looked at her mischievously. He couldn’t help the self-satisfied grin on his face. While Zelda assumed it was due to his upcoming answer, Link ran his thumb along her knuckles, just glad he’d managed to get her thoughts off the potential dangers that Reese might pose. Besides that, he could see a thousand openings for him to tease her, which he would never pass up. 

“What do _you_ think my answer will be?”

“That’s not fair,” Zelda said, feeling her heart rate speed up. She cursed to herself. Not too long ago, she’d been the expert at making him hesitant, or making him blush. But Link had unexpectedly grown bolder and more comfortable with her and her title, almost like it didn’t exist. And that was what she always wanted from someone. She just didn’t realize that she hadn’t figured out how to handle being on the other side of it yet.

“Just tell me what you think.”

“Yes. You certainly have the flirting and the thing with your eyes down, so I’ll say yes, perhaps you had a relationship with another soldier at some point.”

Link laughed and let go of her hand, turning to her with a playful look on his face before shaking his head. “No, I never did, actually. Thank you for your faith in me. But I was also young in a world meant for the more mature. I had some… fun… here and there when I was younger that wouldn't exactly be considered 'rule-abiding'. My fake marriage to you is the closest thing I’ve had to an _actual_ relationship, and as we've already established, it would have gotten me killed or castrated. If you want to count this against my golden record, go ahead.”

Zelda grabbed him again, this time to try, unsuccessfully, to stop him. “ _You?_ But you’re so…” she felt herself stutter over several adjectives that she felt would have gone straight to his head. Instead, she opted for the more vague: “…interesting.”

“Well, thank you,” he chuckled. “But I’ve lived in four garrisons in the last three years alone. In times of peace, soldiers can spend their entire career in the same place. I didn’t have time for anything _serious_ with my lifestyle. And besides, being alone makes it easier on everyone if I die. I learned that from the other end with my friends. It didn't exactly make me run out and subject others to that same crushing emptiness.”

Zelda's face fell. “That’s horrible. You deprive yourself of things in case you die? You’d think it would be the other way around: live life fully before we're taken back to the goddess. Tell me then, where do you see yourself after the battle that we’re expecting to retake Hyrule?”

“Honestly,” he mused, despite his seriousness, “dead. I don’t see a future for me. I've never planned to make it out of all this alive. I... I literally can't see myself in a few years. I can't imagine growing old. I've done my best not to leave too many people behind. Spare them some of that pain, you know? I'm hoping you'll end up too distracted running the kingdom to notice, since I underestimated you.”

She grabbed his arm, pulling him to a harsh stop. “That’s not even a little bit funny, Link.”

“It wasn’t meant as a joke.”

They stared at each other for a long moment before Zelda sighed. "I'll notice. So, you'd better wait until I'm too old and have forgotten my own name before I'll forget yours. Besides, you're a few years older than me. You're going to have to wait those extra years out, too."

"I should have tried to stay indifferent to you as soon as I learned who you were," he muttered into his clasped hands, though he was staring at her intensely.

"There are two of us here," she said, subconsciously running her hand along his arm. His eyes were glued to it as she spoke. "I'm not passive in this. I could have been indifferent just as well. But that's not in either of our natures, is it? So we deal with the consequences. I hadn't realized it until you were missing, but if you die, I will mourn you with almost the same sorrow I feel for my own family members. So the damage is done: you've let one person weasel her way into your life. Maybe try to live for the future you couldn't see, even if it's just for my sake."

"Years of work down the tubes," he scoffed playfully, leaning his head down to meet hers. "I'll see what I can do."

She let out a breath, realizing they’d arrived back at the medical tent. She let go of his hand and realized that she was actually very tired, and Link’s appearance had only distracted her from that fact, just as Link’s conversation had taken her mind off Reese, though it had also focused _more_ of her attention onto Link.

“Are you coming inside?” she asked.

“Do you want me to? I can stay out here, keep an eye out. Or if you want, I can set up a bedroll where the other soldiers are staying."

“I'd rather you come in,” she said too quickly before making a dismissive face. “We’re supposed to be married, remember? If you don’t stay with me, people will be suspicious, especially since I had half the camp looking for you earlier.”

“I like your infallible logic,” Link laughed as he followed her inside where it was immediately warmer, protected from the chilly night air.

And as Zelda laid down, feeling Link join behind her, she turned to face him. “Link. I am glad you’re alive.”

“Yeah,” he muttered, feeling her settled comfortably against him as she had for several nights now, as if it were the most normal thing they’d ever done. “Me too.”

* * *

Link felt an odd sense of déjà vu when he woke up in the middle of the night to find Zelda still wrapped in his arms. He smirked, liking the feeling. His arms were wrapped around her from behind, and she held his hand, if a bit awkwardly from their positioning.

But even Zelda's comforting presence wasn’t enough to help him sleep through the night without waking up. Or, maybe she was the _reason_ he couldn’t sleep through the night anymore. He was hyperaware of her, and of everything around them.

Which was perhaps how he was able to react so quickly.

His ears had just perked ever so slightly at a noise. It wasn’t a footstep, and it wasn’t a voice. It was almost as if the air was making a noise, because there was little else that could have stirred him in the utter silence. And it was close, like a breath on his ear, only there was nothing behind him.

Without knowing exactly why—and perhaps it was that gods and goddesses that instructed his body to move—he rolled on top of Zelda, pinning her beneath him. Without a second's pause, he immediately let out a harsh cry of pain as something sharp, a horribly familiar feeling, dug into his flesh.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

And it had been meant for Zelda.


	22. Chapter 22

If there had been one thing Link had learned about himself over the past few weeks, it was just how hard he'd begun to fall for Zelda. It had all started when he'd mistaken her for his former cell neighbor, and it had gotten worse since the moment she'd helped him wash an unfortunate amount of blood off his face. What he hadn't realized was _just_ how much he'd cared for her. And it didn't completely dawn on him until he was lying on the ground, eerily content with the fact that _he_ was the one bleeding out on the floor and not Zelda.

It was a soldier's promise. _I'd die for you._ Words every soldier, knight, or loyal subject swears by. Words that so few actually die by. But he knew that even if he'd been a humble farmer, he'd have lived by those words for Zelda, no matter who she was.

There was a moment just after Link's body moved over her's where she hadn't reacted. Just a fraction of a split second, but it was burned into his mind. She was peacefully sleeping, and he could almost imagine that she was safe. But she was the Princess of Hyrule. She wouldn't be safe until Ganondorf was dead. 

He'd known to move. Whether it was his well-trained senses, or divine intervention, he'd managed to shield her body from the knife. That was his job after all, wasn't it? To be her shield? But even shields could splinter, and he let out a harsh cry.

The second came immediately after the first, and it was clear that the attacker was running off momentum, not noticing that his actual victim wasn't his intended target. Link kept his arms stiff, determined not to fall onto Zelda, keeping the blade as far away from her as possible. If it had been a longer piece of steel and Link went down, it could easily pierce them both. But the impact was so jarring to his body that he couldn't focus his energy into his arms, and he crashed down onto Zelda. He was relieved to feel the blade come out after he'd landed down. It meant that the blade was too short to pierce them both at once.

She was already in the process of waking up after he'd moved and cried out, but everything happened so quickly, yet so slowly all at once. Link could see each moment before him, like her eyes shooting open, immediately recognizing the danger. They flickered behind his head and onto the attacker, but Link could feel the third stab before Zelda could even react. And for a long moment, he found himself unable to move, paralyzed by pain.

Zelda struggled to maneuver around the weight of Link's limp body against hers, but she reached around him to try to stop a fourth thrust of the blade and felt the sharp point push hard against the side of her hand as she knocked it away. In that brief moment, she managed to roll both her and Link over, just away from the knife’s point, the fifth jab. She sat up and grabbed at the attacker's hands, trying to force the knife out of them before he could try again. It was a losing battle. From her angle below the muscular man, she was losing on all counts and felt the hands and blade easily making their way past her attempted defense and toward her chest, where only one single impact would be necessary. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Link move, spinning around solely on adrenaline. Despite his pain, he slammed his fist into the attacker’s mouth before collapsing back down beside Zelda, writhing as he spat blood from his mouth.

Link's desperate hit had been so hard, the attacker was on the ground as well, stunned and down. Zelda felt a mix of surprise and expectancy when she saw Reese’s face. But she scrambled to push his blade out of reach before he could recover. “You’re with Ganondorf!” she balked as she heard several footsteps outside. She clambered backwards towards Link, though she knew that she could do nothing to protect either of them if the footsteps belonged to Ganondorf's men. 

Reese let out a wail, a sound that could only come out of the mouth of someone desperate and broken. “Not anymore! This is my mercy, Princess! He wants to butcher you!”

Bodies burst into the tent, and Zelda sank backwards in relief at the colors they wore. _Not_ Ganondorf's. They were several soldiers who’d heard Zelda’s scream, and Shad, who’d been asleep in the next tent over.

“Zelda!” Shad called, rushing for her as she spun towards Link.

She pointed to Reese. “He’s with Ganondorf, and he’s delusional! He came in here and tried to stab me, calling me Princess like I was one of the bloody royally dead princesses!”

She clenched her hand around Link’s as she fought back the bile that came from her own words, but she knew Reese would say something, and she had to speak first.

“Grab him!” a soldier yelled.

Reese squirmed. “She’s a liar! I’m not with Ganondorf! And she IS the Princess Zelda!

“If she’s the princess, why wouldn’t we believe her about you?" a guard asked, restraining Reese. "And if she isn’t, why would you try to kill her?”

“I was with her all day,” Shad said, though his attention was on Link. “She’s not the princess. I would know. I’ve met the Princess once before.” His eyes flickered to Zelda’s for a suspiciously long moment before looking down again.

“Let the commander decide what to do with him,” one of the guards said, hauling Reese to his feet. “We don’t abide traitors. Thank you for your input, Shad.”

“Anytime,” Shad said with a familiar nod.

Zelda bit her lip nervously before reaching over Link. Shad grabbed her hand and shook his head. “No. You can't treat loved ones. You don’t treat your family, _Zelda_. Comfort him. He's in pain.” He said her name in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. He _knew_.

But that wasn’t the immediate problem. Zelda bent down closer to Link, keeping him on his side. “You okay?”

He spit out some more blood that had pooled in his mouth and nodded weakly.

Nim ran into the tent, skidding to a halt as she looked around. “What happened? Shad? Forrester?”

“Help me out here, Nim,” Shad said, scooting over to make room. “This is Zelda’s…”

“Oh,” Nim said, moving a little faster when she saw Link. “The guy you were looking for. What happened?”

“Three stab wounds to the lumbar area of his back. It seems like two of the three impacts missed vital organs, but there’s heavy bleeding and he’s expelled blood from his mouth. I believe his kidney has been punctured, but it's too dark to see anything for sure.”

“Let’s get a better look, then.” Nim turned to Zelda. “What’s his name?”

“Link.”

“Okay, Link, we’re not going to try to sit you up or move you. We’re just going to cut this off you so we can get to your wounds.”

“No,” Link groaned. “Can’t afford another.”

Zelda rolled her eyes and covered his hand with hers as she leaned closer. “You can't be serious! I can't believe I have to say actually this, but we can afford another, so let them help. Actually, you don’t have much of a say in this, so I’m _telling_ you that they’re going to help you.”

She watched him cough out a laugh, relieved that he could do that much.

Shad ran a knife along Link’s shirt, tearing it down back and pulling the two pieces aside for a better look. But it was Zelda who groaned.

“Oh, Link…”

“Bad?”

She glanced at Link, then back at the wounds. “Shad..."

"I'll get right to work," he muttered, standing to grab his things.

Link let out a long, pained groan, closing his eyes. “Take Epona and ride hard until you get… _home_. I’ll stay here.”

With an annoyed expression, Zelda bit back her tongue, aware of all the ears on her.

Shad stopped his work and looked between them, putting the small operating knife down. He cleared his throat. “You know what? Let’s get you to my tent. It’s more private, and this will take some time.”

“What?” Nim scoffed, absolutely appalled. “They’re in the _medical_ tent. Why move him?”

“Privacy.”

“Why? Have you lost your mind, Shad?”

“Because, Nim, they’re clearly arguing. Look at her face.”

Nim made a disgusted sound, standing to leave with an annoyed huff. “No wonder everyone comes to my practice instead of yours. Kill him for all I care. It's on you.”

“Can you get up?” Shad asked, offering Link his hand. “It won’t feel pleasant, but trust me, you’ll want some privacy in a moment.”

Zelda eyed him suspiciously, recognizing the medical dangers, but she watched Link shakily push himself to his knees, his arms shaking from the effort as he let out a harsh breath. She reached out to help him, though she knew she didn’t have enough physical strength to do much. She slid under his arm and was pleasantly surprised to feel him actually relying on her for some support.

“Still have that _rock_ in your boot?” he asked in a low voice.

She wriggled her foot, feeling the forgotten knife Link had given her before he'd left, glad she’d slept in her boots as she always did when she felt like she might be required to move quickly, like in the case of an emergency patient.

“Yes.”

“If it bothers you, take it out.”

“I will.”

He nodded once and the three of them made their way to the next tent over.

When they were inside, Shad helped lower Link to his knees. “Don’t lie down. I’ll be right back. One second.”

Zelda's hand hovered behind Link's back, wanting to put pressure on the bleeding wound, but Link used Zelda to keep himself upright, feeling the room spin. His voice was low and husky as he tried to speak again. “You have to leave me here. You know that.”

Zelda glanced behind her to see if Shad had returned and lowered her voice even softer when she saw that he hadn't. “Everywhere we’ve gone has had an attack. We’re still inside the heart of Ganondorf’s territory. I can’t make it safely without you.”

“Find another soldier you can trust then, but you have to go.”

“No.”

Link grimaced. “I just took a knife for you. Can’t I have some say?”

“No, you can’t. I’m the _Princess_ ,” she said, barely a sound, “and I’m not leaving you.”

“That’s why you _have to_ go. I’m nobody. Get to your cousin and end this. I’ll… catch up when I can.”

Zelda ran a hand through her hair, sitting back. “You’re not ‘nobody’ to me, Link. I… I care about you. You must know that.”

He nodded, blinking away the dizziness again as he started to sag even more against Zelda. “I know. And I feel the same. But look where it’s gotten us. You won’t leave to save your _kingdom._ That’s bigger than either of us.”

“I’ve sacrificed _everything_ for my kingdom. I think I’m allowed to have one piece of happiness in my life, and I’m not letting him stay here to die. Because Link, Ganondorf will send more monsters here and you’ll either end up fighting them again while you’re still injured, or they’ll take the town eventually, and you’ll have to fight them injured. You’re tough, Link, but you can’t stand against an entire army on your own. So, you’re coming with me, or I’m staying. I’ll get you out of here if there’s another raid.”

“I can’t fight you right now,” Link said, gripping her arm tighter, his breathing speeding up. She could feel his clammy skin against hers, and she was about to lower Link down to work on the wounds herself.

Just then, Shad reappeared with a bag over his shoulder and bent beside them, looking at Link’s skin whitening from the lack of bloodflow. He lifted the flap of the bag and pulled out a small bottle.

Zelda gasped, covering her mouth from making any noise or betraying her absolute surprise. “We can’t afford that, Shad.”

Shad set the bottle down, and Link squinted to see it, to see the small light bumping the inside walls in angry rage.

“A fairy?” she breathed. And a fairy... well... it was _rare._

Shad turned to Zelda, his hand on the lid of the bottle. “I met the Princess of Hyrule just about a year ago in a tent just like the one just a few feet away from us. She was composed, and far more competent in medicine than I’d initially given her credit for. I wasn’t stationed with her, but there was a rush of injuries on the south side of Hyrule Field, so I was called to assist for the day. I could be killed just for taking this, and Nim will figure out it was me, so I might not be long for this world,” Shad said, holding up the fairy. “If you’re who I think you are, what was the name of the lead physician of the South Hyrule Field medical center?”

“I don't want to cost you your life, Shad. We still have time to sew the injuries and let them heal with time.”

But Shad’s hand was on the lid still. “I’m not asking for your permission. I’m asking you to ease my conscious for when I turn my wrist.”

Zelda eyed Link, seeing him shake his head slightly, though she honestly couldn’t be sure if it was an objection, or his body beginning to convulse.

“He went by ‘Owl’ most of the time because he could see things none of us could. Or would you rather know that his full name was Kaepora Gaebora, and that he had a son, Rauru, who worked as an assistant with me?”

Shad sucked in a deep breath. “It’s an honor to work beside you again, Princess.”

“Don’t use my title.”

Zelda whimpered as she struggled to keep Link upright as his body lost most of its ability to support himself. She could still feel some tension, some attempt to stay upright, but she was the only thing keeping him from crashing to the floor. 

Shad worked to open the double cover to the bottle, “Is he your secret husband? You share a last name.”

Zelda shook her head, watching Shad's arms strain as he kept turning the lid. “No. He’s my guard and my most trusted ally, so this _has_ to work."

“I figured as much. There are few I’d die for in this world, but you are one of them Pri-- Zelda.”

When she heard the seal of the lid pop, Zelda couldn't care less if Shad was a spy, an assassin, or an ally. He had the bottle to the fairy. And after the time they'd waited, this was Link's only option.

“Link?” Zelda asked into his ear. He hummed a response. “Have you ever had a fairy before?”

She doubted it. It was confirmed when he groaned out a “no” into her shoulder. They were so rare that even the palace only had two on hand for dire emergencies. Clearly, owning them wasn’t enough for her family. 

She braced herself, holding Link tighter as Shad moved closer to Link. Lowering her voice, trying to control the shaking in it, she needed to warn him. Fairies were notoriously written to be the most painful initial experience one could have. “It’s going to hurt. A lot. You may pass out, but if not, just be prepared for it. You’re stuck with me for a while longer, okay?”

He let out a groan first as his arms rested limply against her side, like he was trying to use her to push himself upright but couldn’t. But he could manage just a few words, and she was _sure_ she could hear the smirk in it.

“Then do it.”


	23. Chapter 23

Link had been burned by fire before.

His friend Finn had accidentally knocked into him, sending him down into the roaring flames of the nightly fire. It was nothing serious; his arm had been quite singed, and he hated to tell everyone what had happened to him, but it had healed eventually, and the incident was forgotten. But not the pain.

No, the pain had been literally _burned_ into Link’s memory.

If he closed his eyes and truly thought about it, he would still be able to feel the flames lapping his neck, the heat roasting him like some piece of meat, the wood digging into his skin, melting the flesh like it were wax on a candle. He could feel the edge of his shirt catch fire, and even the edges of his hair. But amidst all that, he could feel Finn pulling him out, patting the flames to nothing, saving his singed hair and dragging him to the physician.

He'd forgotten to mention that one to Zelda when she'd asked about his past injuries. Though to be honest, he wasn't keen on admitting that he'd basically stumbled into a roaring fire and been burned. Broken ribs, a broken jaw, a dislocated my elbow and shoulder, even being stabbed or sliced at...

And all of it had been a breeze compared to what he felt with that fairy.

When the lid had been turned and pressed against his back, he thought he _might_ be prepared. But the second it disappeared into him, he feared that he’d been tricked by Shad, and this fairy was killing him from the inside. That soon after his death, Zelda's would follow in a similar manner. Because no kind person could ever think to subject someone to that level of pain.

He’d heard the stories. There weren’t many, but he’d heard that the initial experience of fairies healing a body was sometimes worse than the death they were saving someone from. Then again, what would you expect when a magical creature is bouncing around inside?

He could feel it against his heart first, like it was assessing any damage to that most vital organ. But the touch had him arching forward with an silent scream on his lips as he lost all concept of breath or thought. And he thought that would be the worst of it.

His body twitched like it were being struck repeatedly by bolts of lightening. He was in too much pain to make a sound any higher than squeak that came from the back of his clenched throat. The fairy burst around, pressing against each organ, each blood vessel, each nerve in his body.

Link was vaguely aware that he was against something, that there was _something_ in his way. His brain wasn’t able to reason out if it was Zelda, Shad, or the ground, but it did nothing to comfort him.

There was a momentary reprieve where he was able to gasp out a breath and open his eyes before it began again, leaving him choking for air as heat filled his lungs.

If Hyrule Castle itself were sitting on top of him, he figured it would weigh less than the inhuman pressure he felt on his wounds as they moved back together. He could even feel it in the wounds he’d sustained in the cells that had been taken care of by potions. Still relatively fresh, they weren’t fully healed, and he could feel the fairy fixing any remnants of injury to those as well.

There was one action that Link actually consciously noticed himself doing, and it was that one of his hands grabbed at his own wrist. He had to use his willpower to move his hand away. It was the small wound that Zelda had taken care of just hours earlier, but he could feel the fairy’s determined need to fix that as well.

It took time, but he started to feel pieces of himself once again. Things began to return to him, out from under a dense fog. The feeling in his fingertips came back first, and he was surprised to feel hair. He couldn’t tell if it was the hair on his head, Zelda’s, or even the hair along his arms. He just knew the sensation. His vision was still black, so he couldn’t rely on that.

The next thing that returned to him was the feeling in his face. The fairy had overstimulated every fiber of his being, and he could feel every ridge in Zelda’s soft hand pressed lightly against his jaw, her thumb rubbing back and forth along the small hairs on his cheek. It sent him into overdrive, and his the world came back to his eyes, sending her hand shooting back in away at his sudden alertness.

He realized that he was laying down, though _how_ he’d ended up that way escaped him. His eyes took in everything from Zelda's teary expression, and even Shad’s from the corner where he covered his mouth with his hand, breathing heavily and wiping away his own tear with a horrified, guilty look on his face, as if he'd been the one personally to cause Link this pain. And as if Link were part of a secret club, he could feel the stiff parts of his cheek, his own dried tears that had already fallen.

His hand was on Zelda’s arm, fingers clenching her until both him and her skin had gone ghostly white. It took an incredible effort to peel his fingers back, though he only loosened the tension in them. He couldn't bring himself to move them away from her just yet. As she leaned over him, her hair had fallen over her shoulder and brushed against his fingers, he’d realized.

Thankfully, breathing and thought were the next two things he regained. He could actually return to breathing subconsciously, rather than forcing his body to inhale and exhale whenever he could manage it. His mind was working as it took in Zelda and Shad. Pieces of him started to function. His legs twitched. His shoulder blades moved. Soon, he was able to sit up, pain being steadily replaced by sensation, like the sting of a flame to the realization of its warmth.

The last thing that returned to him was hearing.

“Link?”

His eyes darted to Zelda.

“Oh gods, I thought you were dying, _again_!”

Link blinked a few times before sitting up and scooting himself closer to Zelda, stunned by how easy the movement was. His fingers seemed to move of their own accord, brushing against her neck and tracing a line just to the side of her mouth, reveling in the sensations the light caress sent through his fingertips and through his arm before pinging through his body, replacing the pain with something much more tolerable.

“That’s twice today,” he said with an easy smirk that surprised even himself. “You have a morbid fascination with my death, Zelda.”

Forgetting Shad was there entirely, Zelda threw her arms around Link at his words. Not only was it a _sentence_ rather than the brutally silent howling movements he’d been making, but it had been an echo of her last words to him before they’d escaped the castle. She was afraid the fairy had broken him. The way he'd contorted himself as he'd thrashed about, she wasn't sure if that had been internal as well. 

She buried her head into his neck.

He wrapped his hands perhaps too intimately and familiarly around her. “Zelda,” he whispered, tapping her side quickly. His mouth brushed her ear, sending a shiver through both of them, his voice so low that only she could hear him this close. “I can feel every nerve in my body right now, and _you…_ you breathing on my neck… just… you might want to give me a minute and some space.”

"Sorry!" Though her face heated up, she didn’t notice as she scampered away from him and towards Shad.

Link bent over forward onto his hands and knees, as if he were about to throw up. He muttered several curses and clutched at his bare chest, feeling that same unbearable pain once again. To distract himself, his eyes focused on the cloth that dangled in front of him. His shirt now only clung to him at his forearm after Shad had cut it down the spine. He didn't have the sense to pull the rest off as he just waited for the pain to pass. Something felt like it had hit him hard, and his arms buckled, barely catching him as the fairy burst out of his back and disappeared through the tent into freedom.

Link felt a strange sensation of loss and cold in his body, but it was fleeting, and replaced by excitement and nervous laughter as his senses returned to overdrive. The grass below him, the bedroll off to the side that just brushed his fingers, the cold of the air on his back. He felt it all.

“Link?” Zelda asked, concerned.

But it was Shad who answered, stopping her from moving with a hand on her arm. “Don’t worry. The fairy releases many, _many_ chemicals—sensations, if you will—into a person to attempt to erase the sensation and memory of the pain they’ve just inflicted through their healing. He will likely need the remainder of the night just to sleep off the immense high that fairies leave in their wake.”

“He’ll be okay?”

“I am okay!” Link laughed, falling forward until his head was against the ground in an incredibly uncomfortable looking position.

“Yes. He’ll be fine. He’s just… on overload right now.”

Hearing that was a relief, and Zelda felt the pressure that had built up in her chest fade away. 

Link didn’t move from his odd position, eyes closed as if he'd fallen asleep. Zelda circled him with an amused grin on her face, relieved at the peace he seemed to feel after what she’d just witnessed.

His back was perfectly exposed to her, and she couldn’t help but take a step closer, marveling at the near invisible lines where there had just been three deep gashes into Link’s back. But as she looked, her eyes wandered of their own accord.

“What are you looking at?” Link mused, peeking out at her.

She bit her lip, stopping her eyes in their track as they followed down the line of his exposed, muscled back. He’d already filled out a little bit since their time in the cells, and it made him look healthier. But when she’d been caught, her eyes hadn’t _necessarily_ still been on his back, per se.

Her gaze darted to Shad, who had the expression of an accidental eavesdropper: amused, embarrassed, and acting as if he'd heard nothing. But he offered her a warm expression. “It’ll be a long night. He’ll come to his normal senses in a few hours, and hopefully, he’ll sleep through most of them.”

Zelda knelt beside Link with a smirk. “Looks like I’m going to be guarding _you_ tonight. Maybe from yourself though.” Link looked up at her with a smile, though she was surprised by his blown pupils; there wasn't a shred of visible blue in them.

He reached out and grabbed her hand again, immediately tracing patterns across it, letting his palm graze hers, moving his fingers between hers, all with a focused gaze.

She turned to Shad guiltily, but he shook his head dismissively “It will fade. He’s experiencing the world on a level that you and I never have, and hopefully, will never need to. Fairy magic is strong. Senses are amplified, like touch among others. Though it will fade in a few hours, it's an addicting feeling.”

Link chuckled. “I can see why.” He let his hands run as far up Zelda’s arm as he could reach.

She sat there with a patient expression, watching him, _letting_ him. “I can’t wait for you to really realize everything you’re doing.”

“I know what I’m doing,” he said, trying to pull her closer and failing as he collapsed and rolled onto his side.

Zelda winced for him and turned to Shad questioningly. He shook his head with a grin, mouthing the words, “He doesn’t.”

Zelda rolled her eyes and turned back to Link, trying to keep as many emotions off her face as possible while she was around Shad. Seeing Link alive after looking closely at his three deep wounds was a blessing. The fact that Shad had stolen a fairy for her was a miracle. She’d lost many people, but she couldn't lose _him_ , too.

But watching him with the fairy, the actual torture his body had experienced, it was the cleanest glimpse of what she might have to witness if they were caught by Ganondorf. She realized that seeing him like that left a physical pain in her chest. Seeing him alive now, smiling—though in a magic-induced state—had her feeling far more than relief.

As the events since she'd woken up to a village preparing to defend itself to now, she knew she didn’t _just_ care for Link. He wasn’t some soldier she had a deep fondness for. He wasn't someone she'd simply bonded with after sharing a cell. He was someone she’d risk lives for, someone she'd risk a kingdom for. Someone she had fallen for.

With a sharp gasp, remembering his silent cries, the veins on his neck popping against his skin, she could see him in the hands of Ganondorf.

She realized that Link was the _only_ thing that she would give up a kingdom for. He was a weakness Ganondorf could exploit far more now than he could have in the cells.

And she wondered if there was anything she could do, or if she’d already fallen too far down that slope to ever climb back up again. But she already knew the answer to that one.


	24. Chapter 24

“I wish you'd stop bringing it up. I still can’t believe I did that,” Link muttered as he sprawled out in the grass beside the small pond they’d stopped at, his hand covering his eyes both from the glare of the sun and from his intense embarrassment and desire to try to block out Zelda as much as possible as she went on _again,_ reminding him of all the things he'd done the day earlier after being healed by the fairy.

Zelda scoffed. “You were shameless. Poor Shad was mortified.”

He grinned. Shad had been the most amusing part (to Link, anyway. Zelda would disagree and say Link was the most amusing) as his memories cleared. But despite finding the humor in it, Link couldn't bring himself to uncover his face. “But, I mean, in my defense, you _are_ the princess. People must kiss your hand all the time.”

“As a greeting or a goodbye!" Zelda laughed. "Not often in a magic-induced state. I thought Shad was going to pull me away from you for my own safety. Though that wouldn't have helped from all the things you said.”

Link rolled his eyes, though it wasn’t without the grin of a naughty child who’d been caught red-handed. “Well…”

“No, don’t finish that thought! I don't want to know the end of that sentence!” Her laughter echoed off the surrounding trees, but it trailed off. “How do you think he managed? Do you think he got out?”

Link finally flipped onto his stomach so he could look up at where Zelda was sitting by the fire. Since he could only see her legs from his low angle, he rested his head down against his arms, getting comfortable.

“He knew who you were and he helped you out with something that could have gotten him killed. I’m sure he came through for us again and got out. We did our part, too.”

“I know,” Zelda sighed.

Once Link had regained his senses from the fairy, he, Zelda, and Shad had come up with a plan to try to stay ahead of Reese and his desperate professions that Zelda was, in fact, the princess. Whether a rumor or a fact, word would travel, and it would reach Ganondorf. It was the exact situation that Zelda was most desperate to avoid. He or his scouts wouldn’t be long for Saria Town, and they’d been quick to escape, riding hard to the north for the rest of that day and night.

But Zelda had come up with one final plan before they'd left, realizing that Saria would be the least safe town if there was even an inkling that she might still be there, or that someone was hiding them. So, she and Link had wandered around town, asking as many people as possible for directions to many different towns and locations. If Ganondorf's soldier came up to the man selling flowers, asking where a blonde girl who looked like the Princess of Hyrule had gone, he’d say that she’d asked for directions to Gerudo Desert. But if he asked the woman selling clothes, she’d say Zora’s Domain. Another would say Death Mountain. Another, a secret passage in Kakariko Gorge that led straight out of the kingdom. They'd spread as many rumors as possible to keep the truth a secret, and had even ridden out through the east exit, turning north only when they were far from anyone's view.

And Shad had helped to spread rumors. ‘ _Maybe that crazy soldier was right. After all, I saw someone who looked just like her heading east.’_ He'd helped keep the mill turning before promising to escape to Zora's Domain where King Zora would offer him protection thanks to Zelda's coded words. But she didn't know if he'd gotten out. She and Link left first. The town would be abuzz with gossip, and it would spread quickly from person to person, each time, tainting the original tale until the truth was so deeply hidden, it could never be fished out.

But that plan had its own drawbacks.

Though they’d immediately rushed from town after buying only the supplies they needed, like the riding pants Zelda had been desperate for, it left many people having _actually_ seen Zelda, even if they didn't know who she was. People would start looking for the girl with light blonde hair that was always tied out of her face and the deep blue eyes. And while she couldn't do anything about her eyes, she could do something about her hair.

That was how they ended up riding a day and a night before stopping by a pond so Zelda could mash berries into something to alter her hair color, even if it only slightly altered the color. She didn't have to cut it, having rarely taken her hair down in public anyway. No one would believe that a royal would have done such a shoddy patch-job of altering her hair. Such was a benefit of her people’s high expectations of her.

Zelda ran her hands through her hair with the mashed raspberries over and over, blanching every now and then at—what she considered—a disgusting sacrifice she was willing to make. She’d stopped several times to stop from gagging as she felt remenants of the chunks of berries she hadn't crushed enough.

“My parents would kill me if they could see me now,” she balked, letting the mush seep through her fingers with a scrunched-up face. “It was always proper manners, don’t play with your food, arms off the table. Now, it’s like I’m a toddler again, dumping food on my head.”

Link pushed himself up so he could look at her again. Every time he did, he couldn’t help but chuckle at her state. And each time, he felt Zelda whip an intact raspberry at him.

“How much longer?” he asked this time, which earned him a fresh pelting. He stood and grabbed the next berry she'd been prepared to throw and plopped it into his mouth instead. 

“ _You_ rub berries through _your_ hair next time!” she hissed, stretching out her red-stained hand for him to see.

Walking around her for a better look, Link’s eyes widened as he started to chuckle. “Zelda, you’ve only done half your head!”

“It’s disgusting!”

He was so glad she couldn't see his bemused expression. “You sew blood-gushing bodies together for some of your living! You see severed limbs! You’ve been witness to torture! How is this disgusting?”

“We all have our breaking points, Link. Mine is putting food in my hair. I don’t even want to touch it, honestly,” she said, shuddering as she looked back at the strand in her hand.

“Let me see this,” he said, moving in front of her again where the mushed raspberries were. He rubbed some of it against his fingers and made a face. “Oh, yeah, it’s gross. But you’re not eating it.”

“I want Helena,” Zelda groaned, rubbing more of the red into her blonde locks. “She used to fix my hair back home. Well, I’ve never changed the color, but she would style it. I’m sure she knew how to do this…”

“Watch you wash it all out and it’s still just completely blonde.”

Zelda’s face fell. “That’s the worst thing you’ve ever said to me. If this fails, I’m not doing it again. i'll just buy a hat.”

“I can’t take you seriously, I’m sorry.” He smirked, and Zelda tossed another raspberry at him, which he popped into his mouth. How could she think pelting him with delicious berries was a bad thing?

With a grimace, she went back to work until her whole head was finally covered with the red berry juice. Her face was buried in her arms as she sat by the fire they’d built, waiting for it to sink into her hair before washing it out. She wasn’t sure if she’d wanted to wash her hair out more now, covered in wild food, or when her hair had been matted down with dirt and dried blood. It was a hard choice, but she couldn’t decide which had been worse.

“Please distract me,” she muttered into her arm.

“Any preference how?”

She shook her head, though she was careful not to move too much. “Don’t talk about food.”

A moment later, she heard a splash, and looked over to glare at Link. “Really?”

He grinned as he waded close to the edge before dipping under the water and back up, shaking out his hair. “Feels great. Too bad you can’t join.”

“I think you’re actually a bit evil,” Zelda laughed, wishing for nothing more in that moment than to wash this disgusting concoction out of her hair, or to drown Link as he dipped his own head back, playfully mocking her inability to do so.

Leaning closer, Link offered her a lopsided grin in response.

Her eyes drifted to his bare chest and then back up to his even _more_ smug expression.

She rolled her eyes. “Do you ever forget that you’re talking to the Princess of Hyrule?”

But his grin didn’t falter. “Do you ever forget I'm just a lowly soldier? Want me to pretend to be modest now? Trust me, I _always_ remember who you are. Because believe me, if you weren’t, I’d…” he chuckled to himself and shook his head.

“You’d what?”

He scoffed. “Nope. I’m not finishing that sentence out loud.”

“Wait, what?”

“No.”

“Why? What were you going to say?”

“Nope. You’ll have to suffer. Evil, remember?”

“Link!”

“So nosy,” he muttered with a laugh. “I get to keep some things to myself.”

Her face burned with the possibilities that his sentence left open.

“Fine,” she conceded, figuring it might be better left unsaid anyway. “Tell me something else then. I’ve been meaning to ask but I don’t know… it seems an odd question. Did you always have…” she tapped her finger to her chin, indicating his roughly tamed scruff, “before everything happened? Or was that your way of keeping track of how long you’d been imprisoned?”

He made a face, thinking. “Eh, no.”

“Why the hesitation? Do you not remember?” she teased.

“Well, my job kept me a bit too busy to keep a perfectly clean face. I don’t know. I had it sometimes, but other times, I didn’t. Why do you ask?”

She shrugged. “I’m just trying to get a sense of what you looked like before we met.”

He held out his arms in a wide open gesture. “Except for my hair and a bit of starvation, I’m the same as I always was.”

“Your hair was different?”

“Shorter.”

As if in demonstration, he shook it out again, letting pieces fall where they wanted, though most landed in his eyes, then he smoothed some of it from his face.

She bit her lip as she smiled and shook her head, knowing full well that there was no hiding the look in her eye as she watched him. It was all but confirmed by Link’s return grin as he looked her over. But to her surprise, for all his comments, he pulled a blade of grass and began to tear it into several pieces, keeping his eyes away from her for as long as he could keep himself distracted.

“So then, tell me about yourself before, Princess. Believe it or not, I was never privileged enough to actually see you up close before we met. And at a distance, it's hard to get any real good look. I had to rely on my imagination." He winked at her and she deliberately turned away from him as he continued talking. "I gather you’ve never changed your hair with berries. If you just cut it off, you wouldn’t have to go through this.”

Zelda touched her hair, pulling it back to herself with a grimace as she felt the berries. “I once cut it myself as a child and, Link, you’ve never seen something so horrible as that haircut. My hair doesn’t grow quickly, so it took ages to grow back.” She laughed and moved closer to Link, dipping her hand into the water to get the gunk off.

“But no, I never have changed my hair color. My sister did once, which is how I learned this. She had Helena dye pieces of it blue. When my parents found out, they made her wash her hair over and over until it came out because it was ‘unbecoming of a royal to have blue hair.’ I swear though, they thought it was actually quite funny, but they still couldn’t allow it.”

“You really didn’t have much freedom, did you?”

“Well, yes and no. I was privileged, but at a price. When my grandmother was alive—not the former queen, my other one—she used to sneak us out of the palace and take us out with only a handful of guards. With her, we saw more of Hyrule than we did on royal tours. We went to Lake Hylia, and to the Temple of Time. She took us to towns and to landmarks. We had the best adventures. But when we'd return, the three of us would get scolded something fierce for leaving the palace without official permission or without a suitable number of guards, a herald to announce our presence, and all that flounce that comes with our titles. My grandmother never let it stop her from sneaking us around though.”

Link watched her with a bemused expression that quickly faded into one lost in his own memories. “I remember my grandparents. I only ever knew my father’s parents. But… if they’d been alive when my father died, my life would have been so different.”

“How so?”

He smiled to himself, closing his eyes and leaning on his arm. “I wouldn’t have become a soldier. I’d have gone to live with them when I ran away. My grandfather was the blacksmith in town, and I would loiter outside and just watch him work for hours at a time. Finally, he noticed and let me sit up on the counter to watch rather than hiding at a distance. It was sweltering heat in there, no matter the season. But, I didn’t want anything else. He let me make a few things. I hurt my arm pretty badly the first time I tried, but I loved everything about it. My father eventually knew exactly where to find me. I would have loved to live with them. They were truly the best grandparents.”

“So, if you weren’t a soldier, you’d have wanted to be a blacksmith?”

A small smile crept over his lips as he nodded. “Yeah. I used to think I’d take over his shop, but if I didn’t, I would have moved so I wasn’t his competition. I wanted to go to Kakariko. Not too much country and not too much of a big town. Not a bad place to grow old.”

She leaned her head down on her knee, listening intently. “Would you have wanted a family? Or are you a lone wolf at heart?”

He snorted. “I think I would? I don’t know. Whenever I did or said something they didn't like, my parents would end every sentence with: ‘…when you become a father, you’ll understand,' or, '...some day, you'll have a family of your own and you'll realize what sacrifices we make for them.' Then my mother kept telling me I’d marry my childhood friend, Rayn, so I had to be nice to her. I must have been seven or something absurd like that. Personally, I think they were some strange things to say to a child, but you must know better than anyone that parents apparently imagine their children married fairly early in their lives.”

Zelda chuckled into her hand. “Oh yes. If my parents were alive still, I’d likely be married off already. We weren’t prepared for the invasion, and a political marriage, possibly to King Auru or Prince Midos, would have given us the aid of every army in their kingdoms. Aelia would possibly have been married off as well if mine wasn’t enough, but they’d likely have tried to put that off to keep a jewel locked away for another problem. Whether my parents wanted to or not, we all knew the roles we had to play for peace. No matter who I’d married, they would have advised me that it was in both kingdoms’ interests for me to have an heir immediately to secure both thrones. And if Ganondorf still came with the forces he had, I’d likely be a widower and a single mother to be. I had _great_ things in store for my future, thanks to Ganondorf. _All of myself f_ _or the Kingdom of Hyrule,_ we’d say.” Those words had been everything to her family. It was the creed she'd grown up on. And from a very young age, she'd been taught that every member of the royal family had to play their part, whether they wanted to or not. Her own parents marriage had started out in a similar way, with her father being forced into a marriage after too many years on the throne alone. It wasn't 'safe,' their advisors would say. 

Link stared at her, unblinking, for some time before he looked away. “Do you want to be the Queen of Hyrule?”

Zelda smiled, though it was devoid of any joyful emotion. “Do you want to be left handed?”

He glanced at her with furrowed brows.

“I was born with this destiny, and I cannot escape it no matter if I wanted to or not. But yes, I did want to. I was a bit more enthusiastic before Ganondorf, but I believe I still want to. I’ll need many advisors, as I’m still young and naïve to many of the kingdom’s issues. As I am right now, the technicalities of politics are all still so new to me, and I’ll need to surround myself with those I trust most. Though… most of them are dead now. I do like to talk though,” she added with a laugh. “That’s something I believe I excel at.”

“I can vouch for that,” Link said with a soft smile.

Zelda hummed a laugh before sighing. “Okay, you made me forget about this horrid stuff in my hair, but it’s been long enough. Move over.”

Link watched her hop into the pond and immediately dunk her hair underneath the water, sliding her fingers through again and again until she had to come up for breath and then again until all of the raspberry’s remnants were gone.

“How is it?” she asked turning to Link, not missing how his eyes weren’t immediately on hers, but were quickly darting up from her body.

He squinted. “Redder, but not apple-red. Just… blonde red. Orange but not too orange.”

Zelda chuckled. “Well, I won’t be asking you next time. Is it red, blonde, or orange? Do I look insane?”

Shaking his head quickly, he found his hand absently reaching out to run through a strand of her hair. “You don’t look insane. Your hair isn’t the same light blonde it was.”

“Was this useless?”

“No. Didn’t make you any less attractive though, if that’s what you were hoping for.”

She let out a strangled laugh, feeling her heart rate spike as it always did when he looked at her like _that._ “You say that so easily.”

His hand went over to the grass again. “This grass is green. Also an indisputable fact and very easy to say.”

Zelda ran her hands through her hair again and shook her head. “Goddess, Link, sometimes you make it so easy to like you.”

“Sorry,” he said with an expression that warned her that more was coming. “Your hair is hideous. Nothing about you makes it hard to look away. Water is _not_ your friend.”

Laughing, Zelda covered her face, feeling her whole body warm up. But she was loath to admit that she’d fallen weak under his charm once too often, and _that_ wasn’t something she could abide by without some retaliation.

She waded closer to Link so she was within his reach, and he took a hesitant step back, watching her curiously and cautiously. She couldn’t get any redder if she tried, so it didn’t show any more than usual as she rested her hand over his heart, feeling it race before letting her nails trail lightly over him for just a second, sending a rippling shiver through him that tightened his muscles under her fingers where they rested on his abdomen.

“It’s not me that people are always looking at in town, you know.”

She could practically see his eyes darken, and he stood still, unwilling to let himself move with her this close to him. And his breath hitched when he watched her eyes slowly rake over him, a small triumphant smile spreading over her lips at just how easily she could make him react to her before she pushed herself out of the water without a look back.

And she chuckled as she walked away, hearing the sound of him ducking under the water once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zelda's disgust was brought to you by me trying to watch videos of people dying their hair with fruit on Youtube.
> 
> Sidenote number 2! I'm going to post one more chapter and then take a mini break from the daily posts (literally probably not even going to take a full week, just a few days) because I've been neglecting three other fics I have going here and on fanfic, so I kind of need to ignore my favorite child for a smidge to catch up hahaha! So, there will be one good-sized chapter tomorrow that I'm almost done with, and then a mini break, then back in a couple of days!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer chapter alert! Just a heads up!

Zelda leaned against the windowpane of their room at the inn, staring out into dirt roads of Pagos Village. The dirt quickly turned to mud as the heavy downpour washed away any measure of solidness the path once offered when they'd checked in earlier as Ravio and Hilda Woods. 

She didn’t need to see Link to know he was behind her. And she didn’t jump when she felt him drape a blanket over her shoulders before returning to whatever he’d been doing. She figured he’d started the fire in the small hearth of their room, since she could hear the crackling that she hadn’t heard before.

Tugging the edges of the blanket tighter around her, she reveled in the warmth. They’d been caught in the storm just before getting into town, and they’d rode Epona hard just to get inside before it could get any worse on them. They were both fairly soaked, as they had been when they’d left the pond just days earlier.

But these past few days had dragged on as she thought more and more about their destination and what awaited them when they’d arrive.

_“You never talk about your cousin,” Link had noted to her when she'd offhandedly mentioned Daltus by name._

_She’d just laughed it off. “No, Daltus is actually my least favorite. He’s older, so it’s not like we were ever close. Well, he’s not old, just older than I am. I like my mother’s side of the family better, if I’m being honest. My cousin Kassia lived with us for a while. She’s my favorite, but don’t tell Daltus! He’ll think it’s a coup.”_

For now, she could make these jokes. She truly hadn’t liked Daltus growing up. He’d been the entitled one, the one who knew he’d inherit his kingdom in a way that Zelda had always been carefully taught to avoid. She’d been taught humility.

Daltus was her cousin on her father’s side. Their grandparents had been siblings, and the land had been dolled out to the two siblings, each of whom ended up with their own kingdom. It made Daltus her oldest cousin of royal blood, heir to his own kingdom, and was next in line to take Hyrule if Zelda didn’t survive. Her aunt and uncle were older as well, but they’d already signed Hyrule’s potential leadership away to their son in a legal treaty with Zelda’s father years ago.

How Zelda wished her mother had been royal by blood and not just from the most respected _noble_ family. She’d much rather deal with those aunts, uncles, and cousins. They were far more likable.

But alas, she was stuck with Daltus, and she’d begun to try to formulate a greeting to him. _Hello cousin, I’m not dead_ seemed a bit too on the nose.

She’d tried to explain to Link what Daltus would be like. Though they didn’t get together often, she’d met him a few times. When she had, he’d pointedly ignored her as one of the “baby cousins,” and she _so_ hoped he wouldn’t call her that as he once had.

“Tea?” Link asked, waving a cup in front of her.

She smiled her thanks as she took the cup and watched Link sit beside her, staring out the window as well.

“Mmmm. Very interesting stuff out there,” he mused at the empty street.

Her eyes drifted to him and she sat back. He also had a blanket draped over his shoulders. She nudged him. “Have we ever had such a normal day? Sure, we started on the road, but thanks to the rain, it’s almost like being back home, stuck inside because the rain is coming down too hard.”

“Oh, royals got to stay indoors in the rain?” He turned to her with an amused expression.

“What in Hyrule could have had you out in weather like this? You can’t even see in front of your face.”

“Certainly not patrols or keeping monsters at bay. You know, boring things that obviously stop when it rains.”

“Shut up,” she muttered, taking a sip.

“Is this what you would do at home? Look out the window and get lost in your thoughts?”

Zelda shrugged. “Sometimes. I love the rain. I feel like it allows you to drown everything else out. Other times, I would run outside and just let it fall on my face.”

“Nice visual,” he grinned.

She rolled her eyes, ignoring him. “I wonder if it will thunder and lightning? I used to love sleeping through storms.”

Almost on cue, there was a loud boom, though it came from the floor below them. Zelda sprung to her feet, and Link was quick to follow. However, they were also just as quick to calm their beating hearts when it came again, followed by tapping and then strumming, and then the sounds of several musicians on their instruments wafted up through the floorboards.

Zelda’s hand was on her heart as she fought back a grin. _Not everything is an attack_ , she had to remind herself. Though, at this point, it almost felt like that was the case.

As the music played, her smile grew. Link watched as she began to sway to the exciting melody. “I used to love hearing the bards in the palace. The songs were a little more formal, but it was always my favorite.”

Link’s eyes darted to the window, though he had no visual of the sun. “I think it’s a bit early for them to even be playing downstairs yet. I wonder what’s going on.”

The music picked up even faster, and Zelda started to clap to the tune. It was so loud in their room that it was almost like they were downstairs with all the others. Perhaps they were trying to drown out the storm.

“Is that supposed to be how you danced at the palace, Princess?”

She scoffed and spun around for show, her skirt flying wildly as she tossed the blanket off her shoulders. “Oh please, dancing at the palace is practically a formal art that people will criticize if it looks even the slightest bit off. I can imagine that here it is freer and more exciting.”

“It can’t be that different, can it? Go ahead. I’ll watch,” he said, hardly bothering to conceal the way his eyes trailed over her.

But she just laughed. “I’m not drunk enough to dance alone. Get me several glasses of wine and maybe I will. Or,” she held out her hand. “I could just use a partner who will embarrass himself with me.”

He shook his head with an embarrassed grin. “I’m not a dancer. I’ll step on you.”

Grabbing his hand, Zelda pouted her lips playfully. “Link, I am asking you to dance with me. Are you actually going to say no?”

With a sigh and a resigned grin, he let her pull him to his feet.

“Okay,” she said, far more excited than she should be. “Put your left hand up and follow my lead.” She pressed her hand to his and they made a circle. She and Link both fought back wide grins as they stared at each other. “Okay, switch sides.”

He followed her instructions but rolled his eyes. “This music is fast. What kind of dance are you doing?”

She scoffed but didn’t hide the joking tone to her voice as she tried to maintain a more dignified expression. “Excuse me, but if you knew what you were doing, we could speed it up. It is a fast dance.”

Link kept following her moves, but they were sloppy. She couldn’t be sure if he wasn’t trying, or if he was truly as bad as he claimed.

“I think I’ll find you some wine if it gets me out of this,” he muttered, looking between her and his feet. “Royals and these seven hundred step dances…”

“When you have to talk politics or learn a seven hundred step dance, it becomes far more enjoyable.” She pulled him to a stop and watched him breathe a visible sigh of relief. “If we were downstairs, what would we see? Enlighten me about my people.”

“Is that a royal command?”

“I can make it one,” she said with a mischievous smile as she began to move her head to the music below.

“I’m not sure you can handle something that’s so simple,” he joked.

Zelda pulled her hair out of the bun she’d been keeping it in and shook it out with a pleased look on her face.

Link tried to hide his longing expression under a laugh. “What was that for?”

“It means I’m ready. Let’s go!”

“Gods,” he laughed for real this time, grabbing her hand and pulling her against him. “You going to follow me, or are you going to do whatever you want?”

“Ugh, fine,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Link was a liar. That much she learned immediately.

She clung to Link as they flew around the room, his smug, ceaseless chuckling rumbling in her ear as they spun around, stomping with the beat, or light on their toes when they needed to be. He was a _good_ dancer, just not a formal one. He could feel her smiling into his shoulder, rumbling with her own laughter as she held him, determined not to fall in the far more energetic dance than she was used to.

“Is this a real dance, or are you making fun of me?”

He pulled them to a stop but didn’t back away from her. “Where do you think I spent my precious free time as a soldier? Taverns. This is real, trust me.”

“Oh, so you danced with a lot of girls to learn this?” her tone was playful, but she quickly regretted her comment, preferring blissful ignorance on that count.

Link leaned his forehead against hers. Though it wasn’t the first time he’d been this close to her, he’d always been sure to move away fairly quickly, to not allow himself to get lost in her. But now, he stayed there, feeling both of their hearts hammering faster with every passing second.

“No. I’d sit in the corner and get drunk, watching my idiot friends embarrass themselves to impress a girl they liked. Now I get it. Sometimes it’s worth a little embarrassment.”

“It worked. I'm impressed,” she muttered, her breath hitching as she felt his nose brush against hers, her eyes fluttering shut almost involuntarily.

He brought his head down, and she could feel his breath tickle her lips when there was a hard slam against the door.

They jerked away from each other, and Link reached for his sword before making his way to the door. There was no other bangs, but he could hear laughter on the other side.

He whipped the door open and held his sword out, though his arm immediately relaxed. Zelda moved behind him to see and snorted when she took in the sight of two men slumped together in a drunken mess on the ground, both trying desperately to stand at the same time.

“S-sorry!” one of them grumbled, unable to open his eyes all the way.

Zelda crossed her arms. “Looks like you the other day, Link.”

“Stop,” he chuckled. “Alcohol and fairies are not the same.”

“Excuses, excuses.”

“What’s going on down there?” Link asked the men, gesturing to the stairway. Despite his nonchalant tone, his grip on his sword was still firm and ready.

“What, you outta towners?” one of the men asked, giggling at himself, as if he’d made some highly amusing joke.

The other sat up, using his friend for leverage. “It’s K-King Daffffffnisess birthday.”

“Huh?” Zelda asked with a strange look. Daphnes was her great-grandfather, and it most definitely wasn’t his birthday, nor was that even a celebrated day in Hyrule anymore.

“No,” the other said. “It’s not his. It’s Nohansen Bosfer… uh… Hyrule's birthday.”

Link’s eyes shot to Zelda.

She was staring at the two men with her face entirely devoid of everything from a reaction to emotion. And when she spoke, it was monotone, controlled, stiff. “What’s the date?”

“Oh, uh… I dunno…” one of them muttered.

“No, no, it’s Dinraal’s 34th, right?”

“Right,” Zelda whispered.

“Zelda,” Link said, reaching for her.

But she jerked away from him, her eyes still blank as they stared at the floorboards. “I need a minute and some air.”

“It’s a downpour,” Link reminded her.

She looked at the window, forgetting. But she reached into their things and pulled out their hooded cloak and secured it around her. “I’ll stay in sight of the window,” she whispered as she passed Link and stepped over the bodies as they chuckled in absolute ignorant bliss.

Link closed the door on them. They were still struggling to stand, but Link went to the window, watching Zelda as she burst outside and leaned against one of the support columns. She wasn’t leaning backwards, but forward, as if it was all that could hold her up.

Tapping his foot, Link had to force himself to stay put. They rarely had a break from each other, so he wanted to respect her need for distance, but he still couldn’t let her have total privacy, not after all the attacks they’d been involved in recently. Not when Reese had so loudly proclaimed Zelda’s location. And slightly redder hair would do very little to help her if Ganondorf himself came looking for her. 

But that didn’t seem to be on Zelda’s mind at all as Link watched her walk further on, out of sight from the window.

Link cursed and grabbed his sword belt, strapping it on quickly before hurrying outside.

It felt like he was standing underneath a waterfall. The relentless dripping of water pounded him, soaking his hair and straight through all his clothes almost immediately. He could barely see an arm’s length in front of him, and the storm’s wind had a soft bite to it, but he hugged his arms to himself and followed the direction he’d seen Zelda go, which was not much. He’d only seen her walk straight ahead.

She’d been like a ReDead, so he figured she wouldn’t have veered too far off course. And as he headed under an arch that was too difficult to read in the rain, he could finally make out a figure in the distance, just a blurred color, but he could tell it was her.

He was going to stay back, to allow her the space that she wanted, but when he noticed that she was on the ground, he couldn’t stop himself from hurrying to her side, practically skidding into the muddy grass beside her.

“Zelda?”

She turned to him, her expressionless eyes betraying _nothing_. She didn’t even seem to notice the rain, even as her eyes blinked, and water dripped down over her long eyelashes thanks to her forgotten hood.

“Whose grave do you suppose this is?” she asked.

Link finally looked around and realized that they’d ended up in the town’s cemetery. He peered at the stone, but there was too much age on the stone. Moss and weeds were covering it. “I don’t know.”

Zelda’s hand shook as she reached for her knife and slammed it into the ground with more force than she’d intended. Then, she began to saw at the grass, cutting it away from the stone.

Link wondered if he should say anything, but instead, he took out his own knife and helped her in silence until the name was uncovered.

_Peatrice Agatha._

Zelda ran her mud-caked hands along the stone. “I wonder who she was. Her life.” She turned to Link, her eyes finally displaying some emotion, some life. Though, it wasn’t necessarily ideal as she watched him with hopelessness written all over her.

“It’s been nearly a month and a half. I didn’t even know. I didn’t know the date, or how long we’d been imprisoned. I never even thought to ask. Goddess, we’d be having a celebratory feast tonight. And… I wonder…” she took a steadying breath as she felt her throat close to choke back a sob. “My sister and I commissioned a quilt for him that had elements of our family on each patch. Mine had been the Hylian Army Field Medical symbol because I’d just come back. Could it have been delivered? If I went home right now, would it be outside my door?”

Zelda grabbed her hair, pulling her head down into her lap with a gasp. “I want to bury them! I want them to rest with the Goddess! But no, their bodies are on display for the birds and ghosts of Castle Town. All I want is to for them to be alive! I want my mother to sing me a song at night like I was a child. I want my father to join in and ruin it with his horrible singing voice. I want to hear my sister laugh after I hip-bump her into a statue in the hall. I want to tell my mother that I met a handsome soldier. I want to see my father light up when I bring him roasted chestnuts after a trip south.”

She sat up, struggling to catch her breath. Link could see her eyes were red and darting around wildly, searching for something that would never appear. “The things I want are the small moments that I’d taken for granted for so long! I don’t want a kingdom, or rupees, or long life. I just want _them!_ I want my family! I want to see the surprise on my father’s face when he sees our gift and immediately puts it down to hug us because _we_ were more important than any trinket.”

Her body rocked forward with a powerful sob, and she felt the tears mixing with raindrops down her cheeks.

Link moved closer, testing her to see where she was at. He put his hand on her shoulder, and when she didn’t so much as flinch away, he tugged her lightly, and she moved into his arms, collapsing down into him with a thud. He adjusted his leg so she could move closer, which she did, sinking into his soaked shirt.

He could feel a mix of her shaking, and her warm breath against him. Her arms snaked around his back, clutching the back collar of his shirt as she let the harsh rain pour down against them, keeping her cheeks free of any proof of her tears.

He’d never heard her like this. She’d cried briefly, but it was always controlled and fought back nearly as quickly as the urge came on. But not this. This was over a month’s worth of pain and sorrow breaking through a crack that grew against the pressure. And all he could do was to hold her.

“Gods!” she sobbed, bringing her hands back to herself, clutching at her chest. “I miss them so much _it_ _hurts!_ ”

Link bit his lip and practically crushed her against him, placing a soft kiss against her damp hair that he was almost positive she couldn’t feel.

“Zelda,” Link whispered. “Goddess, what can I do?”

“Just…” she could feel her body twitching involuntarily, but for the most part, she could feel herself calming down. Nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck, she shook her head. “…stay.”

His grip tightened and he nodded, pressing another kiss against her forehead, blinking away the rain as it landed aggressively over his eyes.

They knelt like that for some time, heedless of the rain, of the dirt, of the mud, of the grass.

Time passed in another world, and Zelda finally brought herself back to it. Her breathing had evened out. Her heart had steadied. Yet she didn’t want to move.

Finally, she seemed to realize that she was soaked through to her very bones. Her skirt was a mess, puddles forming where her skirt dipped. The small but loose pockets were holding water. Her shirt stuck to her so closely that it was as if she’d developed a second skin. Her long hair had been worse off than if she’d dipped her head in a wash basin. Strands stuck to her face and her lips, and she brought a hand up to try to pull the tiny locks out of her mouth that had stuck to her while she'd been gasping for air amid her cries.

Link didn’t look much better. His hair was matted down as well, and his constant blinking betrayed just how much rain was still falling. His loose shirt clung to his muscles thanks to the water, the revealing material acting like he wasn’t even wearing something. Zelda imagined hers would look similar, but she had the modesty of the cloak over her shoulders that she’d tugged tight, though it didn’t stop the rain. In truth, they both looked disheveled, like they’d just escaped the castle all over again.

"You look terrible," she choked out with something akin to a short laugh.

With a relieved grin, Link pulled one of the strands of hair along Zelda’s cheek before looking at her, _really_ looking at her. She could practically hear their silent conversation through his eyes. He’d been scared, or at least nervous. She didn’t know if he could be scared by anything, as she’d never actually seen it. Here was Link: Mr. Perfect Soldier. He’d taken a knife for her, he’d risked his freedom for her _and_ with her. He’d been there through everything, burning as the light in the darkness.

She nodded to him, a confirmation that she was okay, or at least that she’d calmed down. “Does it ever get easier?” she breathed.

Link held out his hand with the scar across the palm for her to see. “It will heal, but there will always be a scar you can feel.”

“I miss them _so much._ ”

He ran his hand through her hair, nodding. “I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

Hoisting himself to his feet, he held out his hand for her. “I’ll do your silly dance if it will make you smile.”

Despite herself, she found herself grinning as she took his hand. “You don’t have to dance to make me smile, Link.”

She felt his thumb swipe her skin in response.

Zelda was on her feet and found herself closing the gap between them fairly quickly, intertwining her fingers with Link's. “Thank you. For being here.”

“Always.”

His eyes didn’t waver, and there was no sign of joking in them.

“Link…” Zelda started, but she wasn’t sure how that sentence was meant to end. Her mouth kept moving, but no words formed, just a soft squeak of breath.

And then, she was pulling him down to her. In an instant, she found his lips on hers, responding immediately to her, as if _he’d_ been the one who’d moved first. Perhaps he had. Perhaps they'd both had the same idea at the same time. 

At first, it was tender and slow. Not hesitant, but also not rushed. Link’s hands were cupped her behind the neck as soon as her hand had let go of his to rest on his waist. She wanted to feel more of him, but she felt herself lost in that moment, and his lips were enough.

But the faster their hearts raced, their kiss began to match the beats. Link had to move his arms behind her back to keep her steady as she leaned too forcefully into him, nearly knocking them both off their feet, and she felt him smile broadly against her.

They pulled away just long enough to breathe before finding themselves drawn back together, like magnets unable to resist the pull of the other. She had no idea how much time had passed, or how many times they broke apart for air. 

It was only the sharp crack of thunder and lightening that had them pull away from each other a final time in surprise.

They turned back to each other with barely concealed expressions of happiness. Zelda almost felt herself mutter 'finally', but managed to keep herself from that comment. Neither of them had denied their feelings for the other, but there was danger that came along with finally giving in to temptation.

Link feared the royals, and he was much more anxious at the thought of reaching her cousin than he wanted to admit. If they cast him out for his status and replaced him. If _she_ forgot about him, little more than a distraction this whole time before she returned to her world... a place where she belonged, but not him. And Zelda feared what would happen to Link if Ganondorf should find them. At one time, she might have been able to endure the torture he’d go through, but now, the very thought of it made her sick, and she’d do anything to keep that from happening to him.

And both these thoughts weren’t lost on either of them as they stared at each other, processing what had just happened.

There was another boom in the sky, and Link pressed his lips lightly against Zelda’s, unable to resist. When he pulled back, he sucked in a hard breath as he found her lips chasing his, wanting more, though they were already swollen, as he imagined his were as well.

“We’re already playing with fire,” Link said, looking up at the sky as another bolt crackled behind some clouds. “Let’s not risk the Goddess’s sick sense of humor out here.”

“Yeah,” Zelda managed, trying to slow her heart as they hurried back the way they’d come from the inn.

Link shook out his hair, and Zelda wrung hers, grateful that all the color hadn’t come out, before going inside, still sopping wet. Several people turned to stare at them, as it was obvious that they’d been absolutely soaked.

Clearing his throat at the attention, Link leaned closer to Zelda. His voice had taken on an equally joking and serious tone at the same time. “You might catch a chill in those wet clothes. You, uh, might want to get out of them.”

“Link!” she chastised with a laugh, smacking him in the arm as she watched his grin widen.

His mischievous eyes narrowed playfully, pulling her with him away from the door. “You can’t even pretend you weren’t thinking that, too. I almost forgot I had a face since you’ve barely looked at it.”

“Shut up!” she laughed again. But she melted under his soft, yet fierce gaze. “Fine, yes I was. But that’s not the point! I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to,” he mused, pressing her into the wall as he kissed her again. "Okay, instead, how about I buy you some of that wine you've been dying for?"

Zelda glanced at the stairs. They'd left everything in the room. "You do know that they're actually my rupees, so I'd be buying _myself_ the drink, right?"

"I'm trying to be nice. Why do you have to ruin it?" he laughed. 

She rolled her eyes and lightly pushed him away from her. "Fine. I will give you rupees to buy me a drink."

But when they broke apart and looked out at the tavern, she tapped Link’s arm rapidly. He followed her gaze and froze beside her. It was everything they’d been waiting for, yet the thought of its arrival brought apprehension.

Several unremarkable guards were sitting in uniform at a table, laughing with ale in their hands. But that wasn’t what made them special. It was the colors they wore. The insignia.

They were Daltus’ soldiers. _His soldiers_ were close enough that they could come to this little tavern-inn to drink.

Link and Zelda looked at each other, a mix of excitement and dread. 

_Everything_ was about to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here's where I'm taking my really short mini-break to catch up on other stuff before I come back with my mostly daily chapters, so this chapter will just get to sit with you for a few days!!


	26. Chapter 26

Zelda leaned her head against Link’s back, resting her eyes as they rode through the forest path. It had been several days since they’d found Daltus’ soldiers, and they were both tired of the near constant riding, but the directions to Daltus had been clear.

_“You’re with the Prince, right?” Link had asked after some polite conversation._

_“Isn’t it obvious?” one asked with a harsh scoff._

_“I want to join him. I’m a Hylian soldier, and I want my home back.”_

_One of the soldiers leaned forward, inspecting Link closely. “Okay. You’ll have to show His Majesty that you can fight, but we need everyone we can get. Don’t expect to just walk in the front door and be a commanding officer, though.”_

_“I would never dream of it,” Link scoffed. “I need to know where he is. Where do we go?”_

_“Keep going north to the city of Damel. He’s taken up residence with the local noblemen there while he builds up his forces. You shouldn’t miss him, but ride fast. Word is that Ganondorf himself is headed to Saria. Rumor has it that Princess Zelda herself was spotted there.”_

_Link leaned forward against the table. “Do you think there’s any truth to that?”_

_The first soldier shrugged. “The Prince brought us to war to avenge his family and reclaim the throne. Then, rumors started about the Hylian Princess, and it became a rescue mission. Then, word came back that she was definitely dead. I don’t know who to believe, and I don’t care. As long as it gets that warmonger off the throne, I don’t care which of them sits in it after.”_

“Zelda,” Link said, tapping her leg to wake her. “I can see it.”

She hummed as she stirred, wiping the sleep from her eyes. But when she saw the wide, protective walls of Damel, she was wide awake and alert.

“Link. When we go in there, everything is going to be different. I’m going to be different.”

He turned to her, offering a small smile. “I’ve seen you go into ‘Princess-mode’ and it’s a bit scary at times.”

She tried to return his smile but couldn’t find in in her. “We’re walking into a whole new kind of battlefield where your weapon cannot be your sword. It can be far bloodier than any skirmish, and more deadly if a strike misses. Trust no one while we are there. Sometimes, you shouldn’t even trust my words. But I swear, I will tell you the truth where there are no straining ears to hear me. We’re about to blow my cover, and there is no going back to the refugee couple of Link and Zelda Forrester, as much as I would love to have one more night hidden behind that name, we’re needed with my cousin, who is _not_ much like me.”

“No, you’re far prettier than he is, I'd imagine,” Link interjected.

She chuckled and shook her head. “No more of those comments when we’re around others. You’re my guard to them. I don’t trust anyone.”

“I guess I’ll just have to wait for everyone to be asleep then.”

Her smile was sad as she took Link’s hand. “There will likely be two guards on my door, and I doubt they’ll let you in. Unfortunately, I believe we’ll both have to readjust to sleeping in separate places for some time.”

But his grin was ever cheeky. “Oh, I wouldn’t doubt me yet, Princess.”

“Nothing can break your spirit, can it?” she laughed, pressing a kiss into the side of his neck. “No more of that, either.”

“Remind me again why it’s better in there than out here in the woods?”

“We're trying to save a kingdom?” she offered.

“Right, that was it.”

They continued to ride until the walls of the city towered over them, white and pristine, as if they’d never been touched by weather or wear. It was absolutely a sight to behold. Even Hyrule Castle itself hadn’t been so meticulously maintained.

“Ready?” Link asked, turning around.

“Are you?”

“No,” he chuckled.

“Good, neither am I. Let’s do it.”

They rode into the city and looked around. If there were words to describe Damel, they were: busy, crowded, gorgeous, clean, and huge. Though many of those phrases didn’t seem like they belonged together, they were the things that made up Damel.

And, among other things, they didn’t need to guess where Prince Daltus was staying. It was extremely easy to figure that out.

In the center of the city was a large hill, perfectly viewable from the entrance, where a large home was built atop it. While it wasn’t as large as the palace, it was certainly a castle in its own right.

“Is this what everyone’s money goes toward?” Link asked, unable to look away.

“Unfortunately, yes, for the citizens of Damel. I’ve been inside only once before when I visited Niko with my father.”

“Niko?”

“The man who owns that house, if that’s what you want to call it. My cousin is staying with him.”

Link made a face and urged Epona towards the center of the city.

Despite how large the city actually was, and how difficult the cramped streets were to maneuver through, it didn’t take them too long to get to the estate. And when they did, Zelda steeled herself for the inevitable chaos her appearance would make.

She slid off Epona first and waited for Link to follow, leading Epona on by the reins.

“Link, be ready. They’ll likely take your sword for now, and it’s quite possible they won’t even believe us about who we are. Honestly, I don't think we should even tell them who we are yet.”

“Who _you_ are. They don’t really care who I am.”

She offered him a half-hearted smile. “True, sorry.”

They strode up to the two guards who stood in front of the gate, both of whom didn't even bothering a glance, as if people came up to them constantly, and they were used to drowning out the annoyance.

“Hello?” she tried sweetly. “Excuse me?”

“Yes, ma’am?” one said stiffly.

“Hi. I need to speak with Prince Daltus or Niko immediately. It’s a very time-sensitive matter.”

One of them offered her the most bored look she’d ever been given. “None are allowed inside."

"Yes, but it's urgent."

"I’ll pass the message along. What is it?”

Zelda smiled innocently. “I’m afraid that’s for their ears only. But I will say that if they won’t hear me, their lives are in danger. You are putting their lives in danger.”

“Then tell us the message,” the other said, a bit more annoyed than the first.

“I’m afraid not,” Zelda said, more firmly. She could feel Link’s curious eyes on her, and then saw the smallest twitch of her hand, waving him off.

“Very well then,” the guard said, pushing the gate open. “Follow us.”

She gave them pearly smile, and once they’d passed her, she turned to Link and rolled her eyes.

The walk to the building alone was stunning. Topiaries lined the paved path to the steps of a porch, which led to double doors that were opened from the inside. And when they stepped in there, Zelda snorted. It had been re-done since she’d been there, and from the pristine nature of it, it had been done recently. And it was far gaudier than anything she’d ever seen.

Most of the ornaments around the room were plaited in gold, but the things that weren’t were clearly expensive, meant to impress, not for practicality.

So, it was to their surprise that they were led into a room that was decidedly uninteresting. It had wooden walls, old, weathered furniture and showed signs of being ignored, cobwebs in the corner, dust on the table, etc.

The guard opened another door and Link reached for his sword, but Zelda shot him a look, and his hand relaxed against his better judgement.

They were staring at a small cell, just bars splitting a single room in half. Zelda walked into them without question, watching Link pull off his belt just as the guards went to rip it off him, and he joined her, groaning as the cell doors slammed shut.

“You’ll tell us what this 'urgent' matter is, or you won’t get out of here.”

“Then I guess this is our new home," Zelda sighed, leaning back comfortably.

With a scowl, the guard slammed the door, and Zelda let out a relieved breath. Her head lolled towards Link with a wry expression as she gestured to the bars that kept them contained. “Full circle.”

“At least this one is nicer,” he muttered, testing the locked door. “And I’m not chained to the wall.”

“There is that,” she admitted.

“Why did you do that?” he asked, getting comfortable in the corner on the ground.

Zelda joined him, resting her head on his arm, feeling his head against hers seconds later. “We got inside. That’s all we needed. Now, we don’t talk to them until someone gets frustrated and gets Daltus. My cousin is annoying, and maybe some could call him mean, but he is by no means ‘evil.’ We shouldn’t have to fear torture. But he’s impatient. The longer we stay quiet, the more he’ll want to know what information we have, and he’ll be here eventually. Regardless, we’re safe from Ganondorf in here.”

“So, we wait them out?”

“We wait them out.”

And Zelda had been right about almost everything. The guards returned again and again, each time with threats of violence that they were never able to follow through on, slamming things against the echo of the bars, and accusing them of being spies. Each time, both Link and Zelda met their questions with silence, or with phrases like 'I'm afraid I will only tell the Prince himself.'

The cell darkened as night fell, and Zelda tapped Link’s leg when she heard another approach. He muttered something before sitting up with her. They were both on their feet when the door opened, but no one was there. It was a guard, holding it open from the side, only his hand visible as a figure strode down the corridor with loud, heavy footsteps. 

“Goddess, you lousy oafs! I should dismiss the lot of you! You’re useless! I can’t believe I have to do this myself!”

And as that same voice appeared in the doorway, he didn’t look at the prisoners, just at the ground as if it was the thing that was most annoying him. “Fine, you win, you hoodlums. What information do you two have?”

Zelda took a step forward and leaned against the bars. “Hello, cousin.”

His eyes shot up to her face and he stilled, stunned. “No... you’re dead.”

But Zelda smiled, letting out a little humming laugh before her eyes dared him to look away.

“Not yet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Mini-break is over! I may do every-other-day posts for the next few days, because I'm still not actually caught up on my other stuff yet, but I just really wanted to get back to this fic. That's not a bad thing, right?


	27. Chapter 27

“If you’d just announced yourself rather than using some ruse to enter the premise, I wouldn’t have had you imprisoned, cousin! And especially not for quite so long! I'd have said a few words to the guards who'd disbelieved you,” Daltus exclaimed, practically tripping over himself as he led the two of them from the cells and to the other side of the estate. The rooms became gaudier as they went on. It almost made Zelda sick to see such frivolous waste, not that it was Daltus' fault. It wasn't _his_ home.

Daltus was not old, but he was also old enough that his mistakes were as unforgivable as his occasionally rotten attitude. He often acted like an entitled child, too used to the royal treatment to ever grow out of it. It made Zelda beyondd grateful that she'd had exposure to the real world while she was still young. If she'd never left the palace, she'd have remained naïve and believed entirely in her perfectly protected bubble-world. She was grateful to have exposed Aelia to some of it too, not that it mattered in the end.

But Daltus was known for using his status for expensive companionship, be it buying friendship or _other_ relationships-- though the latter was only rumored. His parents were both still living, and they held the throne fairly securely, so he’d been coddled his whole life. However, Zelda had to admit that he’d grown up to be a fairly competent leader, if spoiled and self-centered. In some ways, that selfishness was a blessing for his people, because it extended to his family’s kingdom. He would do a fair few illicit things for his kingdom and the people in it. 

“I didn’t want to reveal who I was to anyone but you. You are the only one I could trust," Zelda said with her kindest voice, determined to get on his good side as quickly as possible. "How are Auntie Teleria and Uncle Edmund?”

“They’re doing quite well. Saddened, of course, to hear of the losses of Uncle Nohansen, Aunt Llyan, and my dear, sweat baby cousin Aelia. Her loss was the great tragedy of this all. But by the Goddess’ blessings, you are alive!” His smile was a hard mix between genuineness and forced civility. But that was easily overtaken by an undisguised disgust as he actually looked at her for the first time.

“Oh,” he balked, looking at her weathered boots, and to Link’s before his eyes had traveled all along them. “You look… well… what happened to your hair? I can see how you passed as a pauper. You truly look horrible.”

She gave him an exasperated look. “Thank you, that means my disguise to cross a kingdom unnoticed worked.”

“But what in the bloody name of Din happened to your hair?”

Zelda turned to Link for a brief moment of needed relief from Daltus’ face. Link bit back a grin, but said nothing.

“Maid!” Daltus said, snapping his finger to stop the woman walking by. She bowed. “This is my cousin, Princess Zelda of Hyrule—”

“Daltus!” Zelda exclaimed. “Not yet!”

But he pointedly ignored her, his attention still on the young servant. “She needs to look presentable. Tell the local seamstresses to gather a team or whatever they must do to get her appropriate attire by the morning, take her to the best guest room, and clean the filth off of her.”

The maid was slim but looked as if she could comfortably scale several flights sof stairs without being winded. That was something Zelda desperately wished she could say. The girl had dark hair that was tied up and out of her face, much as Zelda had done while on the run.

Daltus’ eyes flickered to Link. “Who exactly are you again?”

“Link Forrester.”

“Is that supposed to mean something to me?” Daltus chuckled haughtily.

Zelda stepped between them. “He’s my guard. He’s the reason I got out of the castle alive, so please show him respect, _cousin._ ”

“Fine, you'll find the barracks through the back. You may stay there during your time here.”

Link nodded and bowed automatically. He was used to orders and simple, direct commands, but he recognized that he’d forgotten his place a bit while traveling with Zelda in their familiarity with each other.

But Zelda grabbed Link’s arm to stop him, pulling him back up into an upright position. “No. Daltus, he is my one and only guard. I trust him far more than I’ll trust anyone you assign to me, and I mean that without offense. Give him the room closest to mine. I’m sure Niko has plenty to spare.”

And it seemed that, despite the bizarre news of his allegedly deceased cousin’s return, the idea of a guard getting his own room was the most outrageously unacceptable thing he’d heard. “A guard! In a private room! Never in my years!”

Zelda squeezed Link’s arm and then let go, holding her hand to her mouth and stifling a fake sob. “Daltus, sweet cousin, I hope you never have to go through the horrors I have. This man… he’s the only reason I am alive. I owe him a great debt, and a comfortable bed is the very least thing I can do to even begin to repay him for all he's done! Please, find it in your heart to make an exception. Life debts are serious things, and I mean to begin repaying mine with the simple comforts a private room can offer. Look at us! We are dirty, and we’re tired. He’s been sleeplessly guarding me day and night. I would hate—”

“Fine, fine!” Daltus grumbled, waving a hand to the maid. “Take them both to their rooms, and get them something decent to wear… not that… mud-riddled attire. And ensure the Princess has suitable clothes by tomorrow. I expect something fit for royalty.”

“That’s not necessary," Zelda said, clearing her throat from her fake tears, "and we really must speak now. I’ve come a long way and through many dangers.”

“Relax for the night, and we will speak tomorrow when you are rested and presentable. Niko will not want his furniture ruined. And that… orange color in your hair,” he turned to the maid, “See to it that she looks as she used to.”

“Do I have a say?” Zelda asked with crossed arms.

Daltus stopped and smiled. This time, it was not carefully concealed, but a very obvious look of disdain on his face. “You do not come here unannounced when most of your kingdom believes you to be dead, as I did until just now, and presume that your people will love this pauper appearance you've donned. We are equals in rank, and I am dealing with a great load on my shoulders. This, while a welcome surprise, has just added to that load and I must make preparations for you. The least you can do is to look your part and you can then take your place with us _tomorrow_. Now, excuse me. I must find Niko and tell him what has transpired. Goodnight, sweet Zelda.”

“Your Majesty, Sir Knight,” the maid bowed, gesturing down the hallway, “If you’ll both follow me?”

Link hurried up to Zelda’s side and gave her a look that was the epitome of ‘whoa’ without words. She returned the sentiment silently and they climbed a tall flight of stairs, headed down a long hallway, and were finally led to two doors just beside each other.

“Your room, Sir Knight,” she said, gesturing to the first door.

Link cleared his throat. “I’m not a Knight. Just a soldier.”

“Oh, I just assumed since you're guarding the Princess...” the maid said, embarrassed. “What… what shall I address you as, then?”

“Link?” he shrugged. Zelda bit back a smile. _That_ would never fly for this household.

And it was immediately proven by the maid’s flaming red cheeks and stutter. “I-I-I’m afraid that is improper! I cannot!”

“Sir Link should suffice,” Zelda offered. And though he was about to protest, her glare silenced him. “It is not entirely improper to address a soldier as Sir.”

“But he’s not a Knight,” the maid protested before realizing with openmouthed horror that she’d just backtalked the Princess of Hyrule. She threw herself to her knees, a frightened look on her face. “Majesty, forgive me!”

Bending down, Zelda rested her hand on the young maid, and turned to Link. “You should just go inside and they’ll send someone in soon to help you with some things. Be nice and do what they say. It’ll make life far easier. I’ll see you in the morning.” He rolled his eyes and went inside, allowing Zelda to turn her attention to the young servant. “Please, don’t worry about it. You’re right; he isn’t a Knight and you have every right to point that out. But we are just trying for a compromise. Now please, never fall to your knees before me to grovel for forgiveness. I much prefer to speak to people face to face.” Zelda helped the girl to her feet and grasped her hands. “What’s your name? What should I call you?”

“Seres, Majesty.”

Zelda smiled. “That’s a beautiful name. Named for one of the Seven Maidens of Legend?”

“Yes, Majesty.”

Zelda let herself into the room, despite Seres hurrying to beat her to the door, and she looked around, taking a deep breath. “Wow.”

Seres hurried ahead to smooth the silk bed and draw the curtains before ringing a bell on the wall to summon others. “Master Niko keeps every room prepared for guests at any moment.”

“It’s almost as grand as the palace,” Zelda muttered, taking in the introcate carvings along the baseboards, the gold, the royal blue. Niko clearly had an inferiority complex, as this guest room could outdo several of the least-used rooms back home in the castle.

“I wouldn’t know that, Majesty, but I know Master Niko loves this aesthetic.”

Zelda grinned. “That’s very polite of you to say.”

Seres tried to hide a smile, but it broke through just as another maid appeared at the door, looking inside with wide, curious eyes. After receiving whispered instructions, the girl took off again.

“Majesty, the seamstresses will be up for your measurements, and I have Wynn getting clothes for today, as well as some warm water for a bath.”

Zelda sat on the bed, reveling in how comfortable it was. She imagined Link might have already passed out on it. “You don’t have to call me ‘Majesty’ all the time. I’m actually quite used to being called Zelda, though I gather that’s not quite something you’d be comfortable with.”

“No, Your Highness, it’s not.”

“We’ll work on it.” With a sigh, she ran a hand through her hair. “Any idea how to get raspberry out?”

“A few washes should do it, depending on how long ago you first put it in and how many times you’ve washed since.”

A knock on the door had Zelda jump for a moment, but Seres answered it and several women came into the room, crowding Zelda in a way that reminded her of home. Several women stripped Zelda of her dirty clothes and offered her a long, silk robe before taking hers away for washing. Two women began to measure Zelda, jotting some notes down before leaving. While that was going on, a tub was filled with warm water and topped with freshly plucked rose petals.

Soon, Zelda found herself lying back in the water and felt like she was drowning, her head and hair dunked into the water and scrubbed aggressively. It took some time, but soon the clear water of the tub was filled with the remnants of the red raspberry dye she’d made, and her hair was back to normal, though she felt that it had almost been a waste to wash the rest out so soon.

Finally, after all that, she found herself in a nightdress with a beautiful silk robe over it, ready for the night. It was still late after being removed from the cells, and Zelda was tired. Seres helped her comb out her hair and prepared the bed for her, warming the sheets with coals from the fire tucked into a neat container at the foot of her bed before answering a knock at the door, listening to a message from someone who was desperately trying to peak into the room, and promptly shutting the door in their face before returning to Zelda.

“Deacon, who was just with your guard, says that he has been sufficiently cared for and is headed to sleep. He will see you in a few hours,” she said as she returned to help Zelda out of the robe.

“Thank you for helping me tonight, even despite the late hour.”

Seres smiled and bowed. “It is an honor, Majesty. I will wake you in the morning as well. Hopefully, the seamstresses will have one suitable garment ready for you.”

“Get some sleep yourself, Seres,” Zelda said as she showed the girl out.

Zelda almost threw herself onto the bed, but reached to her discarded boots in the corner, glad that they’d been forgotten, and pulled out her knife, sliding it under her expensive pillows before her eyes closed faster than she could even realize that it was her first night alone since Link had helped to save Saria. And as much as she loved feeling his warmth beside her, she also liked stretching out as much as she could.

But when light creaked through the window, she recognized that she’d been spoiled, and her past love of sprawling out had been replaced. She realized just how used to Link’s presence she’d become. And she already missed it.


	28. Chapter 28

“Princess?” a voice whispered.

Zelda's hand grabbed the knife as she sat up, breathing heavily and looking around.

“Oh, Goddess! I’m so sorry!” the voice said again, hurriedly and filled with panic.

Zelda put her hand over her heart and cleared her throat, her eyes landing safely on Seres. “No, I’m sorry. It’s been a while since we were safe. I’m just… not used to it.”

But Seres was already bowing a thousand times as other women joined her in the room, drawing curtains, pouring water, getting a dressing partition ready. It was a flurry of activity that Zelda had forgotten. Though it had been a month and a half since her family was killed, she’d been fending for herself for longer in Hyrule Field, and being waited on felt foreign to her at this point.

“I can do most of this, you know,” Zelda said, wondering if they had more important jobs to do.

But Seres helped Zelda out of bed as another woman rushed behind her to pull up the blankets and smooth them out. “Prince Daltus and Master Niko have asked that you be treated royally, and that you want for nothing. Your dress is finished. The seamstresses worked on it through the night. They are currently working on more that you might wear.”

“Seres,” Zelda asked, watching everyone. “Is Link being shown this attention as well?”

The girl hesitated. “Yes. Though Deacon reported that your guard was somewhat uncooperative last night, opting to perform most tasks without assistance. I heard he was very amenable to some assistance with one task, though not much else. Without sounding rude or offensive, Deacon assumed that he was not used to the attention, so this morning he is attempting to scale it back for his comfort. We were instructed to follow your wishes regarding Master Link.” Her eyes lit up. “Master Link. Much more appropriate than Sir Link.”

Zelda grinned. “'Master.' His ego is doomed.” Seres fought back a chuckle, and Zelda sighed. “You can laugh, Seres. And honestly, I don’t need quite so much fuss either. One person helping me is enough.”

“I’ve been assigned to you formally,” she said. “I’m to take care of your needs, and if you wish it, I will do so alone. But today, we do have help.”

"You don't _have_ to do it alone, especially not if you're busy, but..." she counted quickly, "ten is far too many." Zelda let out a sigh and stood. She was immediately taken behind a partition to wash before being dragged elsewhere to put the new dress on.

She was tightened into a boned corset that she was relieved supported her without crushing her as well, and these ladies laced it up for her. She knew her complex, back-laced stays was more symbolic of her status than the simpler front-fastened ones that she’d become used to, which could be put on without assistance.

She missed the simpler outfits already, as another layer was helped over her head. And soon, she was in a flowing lace dress with long sleeves that dangled far from her body, breathing air all the way up to her elbows. Scattered about were shimmering gemstones that gave the garment a sparkle as she moved, and it was loose everywhere but where it was brought in at her waist, which left her mostly free and un-trapped, as some regal outfits could.

Two women did her hair into a side plait, and placed a simple circlet over her head that she could tell had been made with care as much as haste. Because of its simplicity, it was not something she’d be allowed to wear back home, but it showed who she was without speaking. Another woman painted Zelda’s lips a reddish pink, and covered some of the old marks that had been etched into her skin, despite being barely noticeable.

When all but Seres had left, Zelda sighed. “I’d forgotten all that.”

“Majesty?” she asked, confused by her meaning.

But Zelda looked at herself in the mirror. “Did you see what I was wearing when I came in? I’d forgotten what it was like to dress so formally every day.”

“You are the Princess. How could you forget?”

“It’s been a while." Zelda looked around. "Seres, is there a garter anywhere?”

“There is, but I don’t believe you need one today.”

Zelda grabbed her knife from her pillow and smiled. “I need one. No belts or pockets."

Taken aback slightly, Seres regarded the weapon. "I'll ask if they can make you a more secure garter that can hold more weight than a stocking, then."

“Zelda,” Link’s voice came from behind her door. “Please tell me you’re coming out. I’m being followed by people who keep calling me ‘Master,’ and I don’t know what to do.”

Zelda couldn’t help her smile as she let Seres take the knife and fasten it to her leg. “I’ll be right out. Just be nice!”

Seres chuckled. “He’s been with you for some time? He calls you by your name?”

“We met before he knew my identity back when we were both imprisoned.”

Seres’ hand froze. “I’m so sorry, Majesty, to have brought up a sour memory.”

“You can talk freely around me. I don’t mind if you bring up an old memory. Even that one has some good in it.”

With a slight bow, Seres fixed the bottom of Zelda's dress and stepped back to make the bed and let Zelda go to the door.

“Okay, I'm coming out. You can relax now,” she said, opening the door.

“Thank the—” he turned to her and his mouth quite literally dropped, much to Zelda’s joy. He swallowed hard as his eyes raked over her with slow intensity that sent a shiver through her. “Holy waters of Nayru. You really are the damn Princess of Hyrule.”

“In all her former glory,” Zelda laughed, unabashedly turning to offer him a full look. But when she stopped moving, she gasped in excitement. “Goddess, Link!” she couldn’t help herself as she pressed up against him to run her hands through his hair. “You cut it!”

He was far more aware of their audience, or perhaps he cared more that there were eyes constantly on the both of them. Six right now, if he counted Zelda's lady's maid from where she worked on the sheets of Zelda's bed. His hands rested lightly on her waist, if only so she wouldn’t fall. But his hands shook as he kept them still against her. “You wanted to know what it looked like before. Here you go. Average, soldier hair.”

Her eyes lit up as she stepped back, and she noticed his uneasiness, urging him to move away from the guards so they'd follow at a much farther distance behind them. “I like it both ways. But I’ll admit that with you cleaned up and _not_ wearing clothes splattered with bloodstains, you are looking very handsome. And you smell nice? What did they do to the Link I knew? I heard you're giving people a hard time, which sounds a bit more like you.”

He chuckled. “They tore flowers to shreds and drowned them in the water, along with the Link you once knew. It was bizarre.”

She flashed him a wide smile. “Well, hopefully he’s not totally gone.”

“No,” he muttered, lowering his voice. “He’s just trying _very_ hard not to say something inappropriate to you around all these guards.”

“He’s doing very well.”

She looked him over. He was in far more casual clothes than she was. It wasn’t something a noble would wear, but yet not the cheapest thing from the street markets. He kept his sword on his belt, which had been returned to him after their time in the cell.

“Well, it’s time you officially meet my cousin. Hopefully, some sleep has put him in a better mood.”

And it had. Or, at least, it made him seem less outwardly unpleasant. 

Prince Daltus stood with his hands clasped excitedly as he looked Zelda over. “Now, cousin, you look like yourself. Come, meet Niko, our host.”

Zelda held out her hand, and Niko placed a sloppy kiss on the back of it. “Princess.”

She fought back a grimace. “We’ve met before. Thank you for your generosity. But to be honest, I’d like to dispense with small talk and formalities. Ganondorf is coming. He’s already on his way to Saria to destroy it, looking for me. We have to strike soon.”

“Zelda,” Daltus said, stopping her with a pat to her knee. “Our best strategists are on this. _We_ do not come up with the battle plans. They know what’s best. It’s something you’ll want to learn when you are queen: you defer to those with more knowledge than you.”

“Thank you for your sage advice. I will endeavor to learn from them and go talk to them myself instead. Where can I find them?”

Daltus looked at Niko and made a face. “We don’t go to them. They’ll request a meeting with us when they have something worth sharing.”

Zelda glanced at Link, who remained stone-faced and in a traditional soldier's position with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Oh cousin, I nearly forgot! It’s time for our speech.”

“I’m sorry? Our what?”

Daltus stood up and smiled at Niko before turning to Zelda. “We are announcing that you’re alive and well. Just tell them how happy and safe you are. It's best not to worry them with talk of war when Ganondorf may even call off his attack on Saria if he knows you’re not there, and you’re in the most heavily guarded city in Hyrule.”

“Besides Castle Town,” Zelda added spitefully. “Before it was destroyed and the castle infiltrated. Announcing me is not safe yet, and it will absolutely not stop Ganondorf.”

"Well, I set everything up last night. This morning, criers spread the word to arrive promptly. So, we’re on,” Daltus said, grabbing her wrist. “There’s no time to second guess these things.”

He pulled her onto one of the many balconies on the property, only this time, half the city was standing beneath them, muttering anxiously for the mysterious announcement.

She fought back her most horrified expression, and fought to calm herself. Hadn't most of her father's speeches been written for him? And when her mother spoke, she remembered seeing her practicing to herself for days in front of her vanity. But Zelda had nothing. And with a rueful smile, she realized this was an effort of his to throw her off balance intentionally. Daltus wanted her to stare out at a crowd, wordless, inarticulate, and irresponsible. _Smart_ , she thought to herself. He was still reeling from the news that he was _not_ Hyrule's next King. 

“My dearest people,” he called out in his most thunderous voice. Everyone quieted down, straining to hear, though there was someone sitting and jotting down every word to post it throughout the city for those who couldn’t hear or who had missed the announcement.

_His_ dearest people, Zelda thought to herself with a scoff. Only some of the army he'd brought with him was actually 'his people.'

But he went on, speaking quickly to give Zelda as little time to think of something as possible: “It is with greatest pride that I can announce to you on this day the return of my dearest cousin, whom we had all believed to be dead. Princess Zelda of Hyrule!”

A wave of shocked murmurs went through the crowd, and Zelda was pulled forward by Daltus, perhaps a bit too forcefully. 

Clearing her throat, she figured she'd start off slow. “People of Damel, as my cousin, Prince Daltus has just said, I _am_ Princess Zelda of Hyrule. Despite many rumors, I am alive. And I am the last living member of the royal family. I understand that there were some rumors that other members of my family survived, but this is not true. King Nohansen, Queen Llyan, and Princess Aelia are… they are all dead. I was only kept alive because Ganondorf wanted me to give control of this great kingdom to him. He has been lying to you. The 'Demon King' is not a king at all, unless I sign it away to him, and I have no intention of doing that. If I died, it would go to my cousin, Prince Daltus, as many had believed it would in my absence. But I am here, and I will never allow that man to take control of the kingdom. Prince Daltus has also sworn on his life that if I should fall, he will never allow Hyrule to fall into evil hands. Ganondorf will never become the true King of Hyrule. However, he is determined to take it by force. And that’s where I need you.

“All of us have a choice in this world. We can act, or we can be passive. There are times when acting is rash, and passivity is the key to a solution, but it is not the answer to the problem we all face. Ganondorf will burn the town of Saria, and he _will_ come here. It may not be immediately, but he will bring his army north. If we choose not to act now, he will kill your families. He will burn your homes. He will enslave whomever he pleases, and let his monsters take what is yours. We can't let that happen. We have to strike. We have to learn to walk before he even realizes we can crawl." She felt encouraged by several nodding heads. Though she knew it was unpolished and desperate, she hoped that they realized the importance of what she was asking. 

Clenching her hands together, she continued, “I know that it is frightening. I’m frightened too. But a wise man once told me that we can only be bravest when we are most afraid. I need your courage now. Ganondorf is coming. If you believe it is too dangerous to fight for me, or for our kingdom, fight for your families. Fight for your home. But fight. I’m begging you to join me as we retake Hyrule from the usurper so our children can live in happiness and peace. We will bear that responsibility so they won’t have to. I cannot do this alone, so I humbly come to _you_ for aid,” she said, taking a breath and kneeling. “Please. Find the strength and courage within yourselves so that we can take our homes back together.”

She could feel Daltus tugging on her arm to get her off her knees, but she shrugged him off. And as she looked up, she could see the people slowly bending down as well, bowing in return. She let out a deep breath as she stood up and could see several people with their hands in the shape of an upside-down triangle, the inside of the sacred Triforce, and the symbol of the Goddess Hylia. A symbol also associated with the royal family. 

"Don't include me in your speeches," Daltus muttered quickly. 

"I just made you a selfless hero," she whispered back. In truth, she'd also set him on a precarious peak. If she fell and he ceded Hyrule to save himself, there would be nowhere safe for him, not even the deepest dungeons.

He gently moved her aside, and she felt Niko's hand on her, guiding her back inside. Daltus to continued talking, for whatever reason. She couldn't hear, but it didn't matter. She'd said what she had to, and there would be no un-hearing it.

Link nodded to her, a stifled smile threatening his stoic facade, discrete until she was passing right in front of him. “A wise man?” Link muttered with a chuckle.

She was led too far from him too quickly to return any words, so she winked before following Niko.

He sat her down, and joined her on a chair facing her. “Princess, it’s so lovely to see you alive, but we _are_ trying to help you. Your people are tired, and they come to our announcements for simple news, not false hope. We cannot hope to win Hyrule back with our forces alone. It's why we are recruiting from other kingdoms, and we are in talks with King Auru and Prince Midos. One may be amenable, as their trade with Hyrule is affected by poor leadership.”

Zelda narrowed her eyes. “You neglected that part before throwing me out there. I don’t regret what I said. Every single person makes a difference, and they shouldn't be left in the dark. You underestimate people. Open the barracks and call in the local garrison. Have them train those who are willing to fight.”

"This city is one of art and growth. War will stifle trade, and it will not flourish as it does now."

"The death of its citizens will stifle trade."

He shook his head dismissively, not wanting to hear any more. 

Zelda could see Seres in the corner of the room and motioned for her to come closer rather than stand at a distance, though she turned her attention back to Niko. “I assume there is nothing else for us to discuss, since you don’t actually make any decisions?”

His mouth fell open, about to chastise her for her comment before he remembered who she was. “No, Princess, I have nothing else I wish to discuss with you at present.”

“Good. Tell my cousin I will see you both for dinner.” She made a show of leaving the room, beckoning Link to follow them, but stopped when the three of them were out of sight and let out a long breath. She brought her attention to Seres. “Do you know where I can find the strategists they’re talking about?”

“The barracks, Majesty.”

“Good. Link and I will find them. In the meantime, would you send word to the seamstress that, and there’s no great rush apparently, I believe she may need to collaborate with the blacksmith. It looks as if I'll need some armor made.”

“Armor?” Link asked. “You think they’re going to kill you in your sleep?”

“No,” she said with a wriggle of her eyebrows. “We’re going to war, and I’m not going to miss the look on Ganondorf’s face when he loses. I can’t stay back with the injured this time. I’m coming.”

Link looked her over and felt himself nodding. “I wouldn’t expect anything else coming from you. And before you go any further, it was a very nice speech.”

"It was my first one alone. Could you tell?"

Though Seres was the picture of polite responses, Link's eyes began to shimmer as he instinctively leaned closer to her. "Your speech was great. I could tell you were nervous only because I know _you._ Wringing your hands is your easiest tell when you're extremely nervous, though. You did that in the cells a few times whenever you talked about escaping."

"How did you figure that one out?"

Link made a face and tried to hide his admittedly soft expression from both her and Seres. "I pay attention." He finally looked at them both after returning to his stoic countenance. "It's my job to watch you, Princess."

Though there was no reason to say it aloud, she also knew that Link would run his hands through his hair or rest on the back of his neck when he was nervous, bashful, or stressed out. And she knew it because _she_ paid as much attention to him as he did to her. She tried to focus her mind and kept talking, hoping her thoughts would distract her from Link's words. “We need to get people on our side. Daltus is acting like the entitled prince I’ve always known him to be. I need someone to look into some things for me, but you're both too obvious.”

“I know someone, Majesty. He is local, and his brother is a physician. I know you have had training in medicine. Perhaps that’s something you can use to break the ice? I've known him for years. He’s very loyal to your family,” Seres said, glancing around cautiously. "As am I."

Zelda nodded once. “I’ll meet with him. And thank you, Seres. It means a lot. See if you can arrange something, and I’ll see you later today for details.”

Seres bowed and took off, leaving Zelda alone with Link.

“Do you trust her?” he asked, watching as she left with noticeable haste.

Zelda let out a sigh and shrugged. “I want to. I _want_ to trust everyone here. But they prove me wrong every time and… I think I’ve forgotten how to trust people again. How do you figure out who's true?”

"Do you trust Daltus?"

She scoffed. "No."

"Why?"

She looked at him like that was the most obvious answer, but he waited anyway. "Instinct, I suppose."

"Okay. Do you trust me?"

"Obviously."

Link fought back a grin. "Why?"

Zelda felt herself stutter. "A lot of reasons. Instinct and necessity started it, and then you've proven yourself time and again. But I _could_ have been wrong. You could have been a Reese. What if I do that here?"

"You had a feeling about Reese, though, and you were right. Besides, he caught us while we were sleeping. You can't always stay awake, literally and figuratively."

"I just don't know..." she whispered, nearly wringing her fingers, but stopped herself. 

Link grabbed one of her hands and ran his thumb along her knuckles, bringing her attention to him.

"Trust _yourself_ , Zelda. I do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love how I apparently pretended I would post every other day and ended up absolutely ignoring myself. Once my copy of TLOU2 comes in though, that's a different story!


	29. Chapter 29

The barracks hadn’t been difficult to find, nor had the strategists, who’d literally been hanging over a map. They’d permitted Zelda and Link to stay for the rest of their meeting, and they gratefully listened to any intel on the castle, Ganondorf’s troops, and the usurper himself that she had to offer.

It had taken up a good portion of the afternoon, and Zelda debated going back to her room before dinner, but decided against it, instead, taking the long route through the mansion, getting to know the building and all the long hallways as they did. Since officially arriving, it was the first moment they’d had where someone wasn’t watching. Though, when Link had tried to sneak a quick kiss from her, she’d stopped him pushing him back with a glance around.

“I’ll leave a mark,” Zelda laughed, pointing to her painted lips before walking on again.

“Yeah, I could too,” Link chuckled as he followed her.

She shot him an amused grin but didn’t say anything else as they turned into a crowded room, filled with servants and soldiers mulling about, and she was glad she'd turned him down so close to all these people.

Zelda noticed just how many heads turned to her. Most of them were shock and surprise. Though Link's hand wasn't on his sword, he was alert. Perhaps too alert. His ears perked at every comment: confusion, awe, and suggestive, aimed both around him and Zelda. And, well, the ones that perked his ears the most had Link grinding his teeth and biting back sharp retorts, though he was quick to stand between her and the prying eyes of some of them with louder comments. He was shocked by how unaffected Zelda was. 

Ignoring them was easy. It was something Zelda had learned to filter out over the years, a skill as much as a safety mechanism. She couldn't listen to everyone. But she couldn't filter out seeing the people as they whispered. And she didn’t expect the twinge of jealousy she felt when she saw the way some of the women were openly staring at Link. It certainly wasn’t a raging jealousy that tinged her vision, but it was enough to feel the need to get her own look at him herself.

When she turned to him, she saw him watching her, and a mutual revelation passed through them. She chuckled, seeing jealousy in his eyes too. His eyes narrowed at her with a smirk, though neither said a word. Neither needed to.

“Link?” a voice asked as a soldier rounded a corner in at the end of the hall. 

Link stepped forward and squinted at the man coming toward them. “Finn? Is that you?”

“As I live and breathe!” Finn laughed, holding his arms out in a welcoming gesture. Link met him in the middle and grasped his forearm in a greeting before feeling himself tugged into a rather aggressive, but excited hug, which Link returned.

“You’re alive? How?”

“Me?” Finn scoffed. “How about you? How did you survive? Last I saw, you were facing Ganondorf himself!”

Zelda watched the exchange with interest, never actually having seen Link with such excitement to see someone. Actually, she'd never seen him meet _anyone_ he'd known from before.

He turned to her and gestured that she join them. “ _She’s_ how. Finn, Princess Zelda. Princess, Finn, my old friend.”

Zelda held out her hand and smiled. “Finn? That’s familiar. Is he the one who was imprisoned at the same time as you? The same one who knocked you into a fire pit or something once, too, right?”

“That’s him.”

Finn, however, stared open-mouthed at her, taking her hand with one that had gone into a nervous shake. His eyes were unblinking, starstruck. “You… you know who I am, Princess?”

Link lightly smacked his cheek. “You’ll catch bugs.”

Zelda chuckled, watching him stutter a few more times before realizing he wasn't actually trying to say anything. “Yes, Link has told me many stories about you.”

“The… the P-Princess knows… who I am? You've told her stories... about _me_? The- the fire was an accident, by the way.” He cleared his throat and stood up a little taller, though he looked between Zelda and Link. “So how did you get this poor old sod out?”

“I seduced her until she let me out,” Link laughed.

But Zelda shot him a bland look.

Finn, however, looked pale. “You sed—you know who you’re talking to? The Princess of Hyrule. Not the princess of some club!”

Link threw an arm casually around Zelda, though his eyes were saying _way_ too much. To Finn though, it simply looked like a gesture between old friends. “Oh, she and I go way back now. She’s used to me.”

Zelda didn’t pull away but crossed her arms, her attention on Link's friend. “Would you like to take him back?”

The poor man's eyes were everywhere, and his breathing was erratic with nerves and confusion. It was so genuine, Zelda couldn't help but smile at him as he tried to reason everything out. “I… you were with her when? Not during the battle?”

“No,” Link turned to Zelda, looking for permission to tell the whole story. She was in a trusting mood, especially with Link’s confidence in Finn so high. Besides, it’s not like she was hiding anymore. So she nodded, and he went off. “Well, after Ganondorf’s men got me, they threw me in the dungeon. Him too,” he added for Zelda’s sake before returning his attention to Finn again. “After a few failed escapes, they kept me chained to the wall, and then I heard my new neighbor, who just so happened to be Princess Zelda here, which I didn’t know. So, she ends up being moved into my cell to…” he hesitated and cleared his throat. “…because they needed hers for someone else. So after, I don’t know, a week or two maybe, she played dead, we strangled a guard, got his keys, created a distraction and basically that’s the story.”

Zelda nodded along, grateful he’d left out certain parts of that tale.

“A distraction… like letting all the prisoners out?”

Link’s grin twitched. “Yeah? You hear about it?”

“I didn't have to. I was one of them. Apparently, you both saved my life. I was near death in there, and I barely escaped. I ran north and joined up here as soon as I realized who they were. You know, I’d heard that the cells were opened by someone who kidnapped the Princess, but I never would have guessed it was _you_.”

“Kidnapped is a strong word,” Zelda scoffed.

“I did have to carry you out,” Link winked, nudging her, much to Finn’s horror at his easy familiarity with the Princess.

She whacked Link’s arm and turned to Finn. “I was injured. He did not kidnap me.”

“I-I can’t believe it,” Finn sighed. “I owe you my life. Both of you. I mean, Link, you saved me, you saved the Princess, you saved all those people in that hall. You’re going to get a promotion whenever we get back home.”

“The people in the hall?” Zelda asked, turning to Link, who was surprisingly turning red.

Finn had no qualms telling the story though. “It was right before we faced Ganondorf. There would have been a slaughter if Link hadn’t been there. He and two others held off half the Demon King’s army when about twenty of us were trapped in a hallway by some debris in the way of the only exit. Link, Nell, and Darl held them off us while we cleared the way. Only Link made it back in time, but he took a few pretty good scrapes and bruises. He was going to sacrifice himself so we could loosen the debris again and they couldn’t follow. Well, we blocked the path, trapping him with the others, but we weren't going to leave him. We made him go to the window and jump to us. It wasn’t a far jump, but it took four of us just to bring him in. Then, unlucky bastards that we are, ran into Ganondorf a little while later.”

He covered his mouth and stuttered out an apology.

“You don’t need to be so nervous around me, Finn,” she said. “I’m not so fragile that you saying ‘bastards’ will harm my precious royal ears. And you,” she turned to Link. “You never told me that part. Why?”

He shrugged, shaking his head. “It was a long day. I don’t know.”

She could see the real reason in the way his eyes wouldn't meet hers. It wasn't a good memory, like it had been for Finn. Link had nearly died, and he'd lived when two others had died. She didn't push. “That’s fair,” Zelda said, her muscles screaming for her to put a comforting hand on Link’s arm, but she fought back the urge. “You two can stay and catch up, if you’d like. I can have your meal brought to your room.”

“No, I’ll come with you,” he said.

But Zelda shook her head. “I'm just going to eat. Stay. Actually, I’ll order you to stay with Finn. How’s that?”

“But they're... you might ne…”

“Dinner will be boring and filled with dull conversation. There’s no reason we should both suffer. Besides, I’ll fill you in on it later. You haven’t had a moment without needing to worry about my safety since we met. Take this one. Besides, there are guards everywhere over here.”

Link nodded, and she could see the smallest smile. She knew he wanted to catch up with Finn. After all, he’d thought he’d been dead until then. And Zelda knew just how badly she’d wish to talk to those she’d lost. And with a final glance at each other, she turned the corner for the dining room.

She was met first by Niko, who grabbed her hand and kissed it sloppily yet again. She pulled it away from him and rolled her eyes. “Niko. Daltus,” she said, nodding a greeting to them both.

“Was your strategy meeting successful, cousin?” he asked, spite barely concealed in his tone.

“It was, thank you. I learned about our troops, numbers, formations, battle plans… all things you could know if you went down there, which I hear you haven’t been since you’ve been here. How long is that, by the way?”

Daltus sat down and glanced at Niko for the answer. “Oh, a month, perhaps?”

“A month?” Zelda blanched. “And you’ve done nothing since? You’ve seen what Ganondorf is doing, but you’ve done nothing?”

“Planning,” Daltus said stiffly. "For such an ambitious endeavor, we must be sufficiently prepared."

“When my family was murdered, whereabouts were you when you heard?”

He shrugged and shook his head. “I can’t recall. I believe we were still on our side of the boarder. But we had already mobilized to provide aid. With the assumption of your death and no word of your life, we didn’t believe haste and pushing our soldiers was the best option, so we came here to regroup. And many Hylians have joined us here.”

“After their homes have been destroyed and they're left with little other choice but to seek refuge. You haven’t been out there. You have to act soon.”

“Zelda, baby cousin," Daltus said patronizingly as he leaned forward, "you’ve been here for a day. Don’t presume one meeting with our strategists has made you an expert on my tactics. Don’t think boldness is a substitute for wisdom. And don’t assume that your eagerness to learn is sufficient enough for us to forget that you are untested and have never led anyone anywhere. You father coddled you by keeping you in the palace without your own pieces of land to govern. You’re going to feel that soon.”

Zelda gripped the edge of the table, directing as much energy there instead of at Daltus. Though, she couldn’t bite back all of her words. “At least I wasn’t raised to be an entitled, self-absorbed coward. I’ve been toe-to-toe with Ganondorf himself, and Daltus, you are not nearly as frightening as you think you are, and you’re leagues away from Ganondorf. Your ego has been stroked far too many times.”

It took him a moment to compose himself, his fists clenched much as hers were. “Baby cousin, please sit down. You’re ruining the kind words I had planned to say to you.”

Biting her lip harder than she should have, she begged her brain to stop. She pleaded for her tutor's lessons on etiquette and patience to come back to her. Entitled, rude… Daltus was still her only hope of defeating Ganondorf. He had the army, he had the connections. For all his comments, he was right about one thing: she was still new to this, and she couldn’t afford to mess this one up. So, with a fake smile and as much grace as she could muster, she sat down and endured his insincere speech of 'kind words' to his _baby cousin_.

And she prayed to the Goddess that this was one of the few meals she’d have to sit through with him. She wasn’t sure she could take too many more.


	30. Chapter 30

Zelda laid back on her bed, undecided if she should take her hair out of its plait or not. She stared into the mirror for a solid while, wondering if there was anything else that might happen before the night was up that might require her to look presentable. Honestly, after her day, she was so mentally exhausted from dealing with Daltus that she didn’t care if any visitors saw her in her royal regalia or her nightshift.

She’d seen Seres earlier, saying she’d return later that night to help Zelda out of her dress, to ready for bed. And in that same brief exchange, she also mentioned that her contact was more than willing to meet, though he was about to leave town on a short trip. He’d see her on his return.

In all honesty, Zelda could have rung the bell early and instructed the guards not to disturb her so she could just go to sleep now, but she liked Seres a lot, and didn’t want to drag her away from whatever she was doing for Zelda’s convenience, not when she knew she’d see her later.

Seres reminded Zelda of another one of her ladies back home, Marnie, who had been her most trusted lady, and close friend. Seres didn’t seem much different, as if the two of them could have shared a soul. Perhaps Marnie’s had bounced into Seres after the massacre. Or, perhaps that’s the only way Zelda knew how to keep her old friend alive: by looking for her in someone else.

Resolved that she was far too disinterested in even entertaining the _thought_ of a visit from Daltus, Zelda wiped her face clean and then began to pull several pins from her hair when she heard a light rap on her window. She grabbed her chest as she gasped and turned around, trying to slow her breath as she hurried to unlock the window. There was a small balcony, but it was for show more than practicality, especially since there was no door leading to it, and Link was casually leaning on the railing with his arms crossed as he watched her.

“What are you doing?” she hissed, unlatching and pulling the window open.

He just grinned and ducked through the window, looking around her room, studying it with an impressed expression. “Yours is nicer than mine.”

Zelda, however, couldn’t focus on him as she poked her head out the window. There was no path that connected their two balconies. “What, did you jump across?” she asked, finally turning to him with the most incredulous expression.

He laughed. “I know I’m impressive, but that’s a bit much. I shimmied over.”

She scoffed and poked her head back out, looking out again at the narrow ledge; there was barely enough room for an entire foot to fit on the small piece of wood that she imagined was not designed for humans to slide across, and then tried to avert her eyes from the long drop to the ground below. “You’re absolutely mad, Link. I’ve thought it in the past, but you’ve just confirmed it.”

He turned to her and offered a dramatic gesture with his hands, and a joking expression on his face. “Only mad for you.”

“Dead for me is more like it,” she said with one final look at the gap between their balconies before closing the window again. “This is likely going to be a such a stupid question to you, but why not just use _the door_ like every other person in the world?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” he laughed, throwing himself backwards onto her bed. “Besides, I didn’t want your guards counting how long I’m in here.”

“You did say you could find a way into my room.”

“And I said don’t ever doubt me.” He stretched out. “Your bed is more comfortable too. I’m jealous. I might just stay here tonight.”

Zelda rolled her eyes and sat beside him, looking down at him. “And when your… what was his name… Deacon? When Deacon comes to wake you up and you’re not there, and Seres sees it’s because you were in here with me? What then?”

“We’ll time it. I’ll go back before they come in.”

“Across that stupid ledge,” Zelda muttered. “I should get you a large plank of wood.”

“Vines are less conspicuous.”

She scoffed, still looking down at him. “I don’t know which is worse: vines or that ledge. Neither was meant to hold you.”

Link grabbed her and pulled her down to him. She yelped and felt herself laughing as she landed on the mattress off to the side of him. His head lolled over to face her with a dopy grin. “What I wouldn’t do for you, Zelda.”

“You’re really something, Link,” she said, sitting up and glancing at the door, to be sure no one had heard her soft screech and thought she was in danger.

“Nervous someone will come in?” Link asked, following her gaze. “It’s not like we’re doing anything _scandalous,_ ” he whispered dramatically.

Gods, she could hear him actually controlling himself from saying something more. It was clear in the way his muscles tensed and his mouth narrowed into a tight line of restraint.

Zelda felt herself blush at the thought. That was _not_ something she could let her mind linger on right now. Instead, she lowered herself back beside Link, getting comfortable in a spot where she couldn’t see his face. “A soldier and a princess unchaperoned in her bedroom isn’t scandalous? The more you talk, the more convinced I am that you actually wouldn’t mind being castrated.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m getting out of here!” he said, moving to sit up. But Zelda moved without thinking, pulling him back down before throwing herself across his chest, keeping him down. She didn’t want him to leave. She was exhausted, and all she wanted in that moment was to return to the way things had been at the inns: to just close her eyes and wake up and find that somehow in the night, she’d wound up entangled in his arms, or could feel the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest under her hand.

He laughed and, as if he could read her mind—or simply wanted the same thing as her—wrapped his arm around her waist, shifting slightly so they were both more comfortable, one arm resting under his head, the other around her. Zelda rolled her arm over so her elbow wasn’t poking into him, and she rested her head down into the crook of her arm so she could look at Link. His hand lazily ran along her back and he made a face, his fingers slowing over her spine. “Gods, how can you breathe? How many laces are even on this thing?”

Zelda arched an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

He rolled his eyes and Zelda watched his neck tinge red as he stared up at the ceiling.

“Link,” she said quickly and before he could come up with a retort, “I have a serious question for you. I realized today that the original arrangement between us was that you’d get me here to my cousin because you were going to join his army. You’ve gotten me here. Despite what I would hope, I’d never presume to _know_ your answer, but I was wondering if… are you staying?”

His head jerked back in surprise at her question, and his arm tightened. “What exactly are you asking? Am I staying with Daltus’ army, or as your guard, or… some other option I can't think of right now?”

Zelda steeled herself and took a deep breath. “I’m asking… I wanted to know if you’d be willing to stay with me. I mean, if you want to, of course. But if you don’t, that’s also fine. It wasn’t the original plan you had but… stay with me until the battle? Don’t join his army.”

She felt her heart thud under the intensity of his stare, as usual, though his effect on her never lessened no matter how often she was caught in it.

“Are you asking me that as Princess Zelda Aravis Thaisa Hyrule, who, as the future queen I would never say no to?”

Her lips twitched up. “You got my whole name right.”

Link had a few different kinds of smiles. There were some that were genuine joy, some that were soft and affectionate, and some that just screamed that he was thinking something entirely inappropriate. So, he smiled. “Oh, I’ve been practicing.”

She felt herself warm up again, fire where his arm rested on her waist even through the fabric of her dress and on her palms where they rested on his chest, despite never even coming near his skin. “I can’t. I never know why I actually want you here,” she laughed. But it faded quickly as she returned her focus to his question, and she sighed. “No, I’m not. I’m asking you as… as Linkle Green, Hilda Woods, and Zelda Forrester. Just as the girl you met who had to rub disgusting raspberries in her hair and couldn’t stay on a horse without a saddle you knew before all this pomp and circus. Forget the title.”

“I like that last name. There’s a nice ring to it,” he joked. As if she wasn’t already red enough. “I kind of thought you already knew my answer to your question though."

She shrugged. "I hope I do, but I'm not going to assume anything on your behalf because everything we do now is dangerous, and I would understand if..."

But Link shook his head. "You'll have to do a lot better than that to get rid of me. Of course I'll stay with you, Zelda. I’ll stay until you kick me out of your service. Or your room. Whichever.”

“Not likely on either of those,” she muttered, closing her eyes, comfortable against Link. His hand moved absently against her back.

“Then get used to me,” he laughed.

"I am used to you," she snorted.

“Good. I’m used to you too,” Link said before clearing his throat. “Okay, this is going to sound weird, but you brought it up indirectly and now I’m genuinely curious.” She peaked her eye open and she was surprised by how honestly thoughtful his face looked, his brows scrunched as his brain kicked into overdrive. He made a face, but decided to keep going, despite the awkwardness he felt just asking. “I’ve never thought about it before, but does everyone take your royal surname when they marry? Like, if you marry some king, who gives up their name? What was your mother’s last name again? I only ever knew it as Hyrule.”

Zelda grinned at his train of thought. “You know her last name, actually. It’s in my name: Aravis. But yes, traditionally, anyone who marries into the royal family will take our name. If it's two royals joining kingdoms, usually we'd both keep our birth names and just add theirs as one of our middle names. Though, there have been instances of shared names with some other marriages. My great grandfather was Gustav Teravin, a noble. When he married my great grandmother, they both combined their names together so Gustav Teravin-Hyrule and Zelda Teravin-Hyrule. My grandparents dropped the Teravin to return to traditional names, which usually happens after one person goes rogue. We can thank their marriage for making me related to Daltus, who actually has Teravin as one of his middle names to honor them. Anyway, there are a few others who’ve done that to their names, but I believe my great-grandparents were the most recent. Don’t quote me.”

“Would you ever do that?”

Zelda grinned deviously, catching his attention by running her finger over his chest in a light circle that had his breath hitching. “Why? Are you thinking of marrying me again, Link? One fake marriage to me wasn’t enough? You ask a lot of questions about my future marriage.”

He chuckled and closed his eyes, keeping them off her. “No. I’m a soldier, remember? I can’t afford to dream quite so big. I just wanted to know how to address you in my nightmares.”

She raised an accusatory eyebrow at him anyway. “Maybe you can’t afford to dream it, but you’re still doing it anyway.”

He peaked one eye out at her and smirked before closing it again and pulling her closer against him, though she hadn’t thought it possible from her position.

“There’s a beautiful woman _literally_ lying on top of me. Forgive me for having a _few_ forbidden thoughts.”

Zelda leaned her forehead down into his chest to hide her face as it burned. His chest bounced with laughter. She shook her head, trying to slow her heart-rate, which was rarely a successful endeavor around him.

Instead, she looked up at him. His eyes met hers, tired and drooping though they were. There was an indestructible smile on his face as he stared, and she could feel her own lips mirroring his.

“You look tired,” she said, feeling the weight in her own eyes threatening her.

“You too.”

She pushed herself up and pressed a soft kiss to Link’s lips. He freed his hand from behind his head to push some of her loose hair back over her ear, though it didn’t stop it from falling forward and tickling his neck. She shivered as his thumb traced a quick, light line down her jaw and rested on her chin, his fingers brushing her throat.

She pulled away, genuinely surprised at how breathless such a chaste kiss could make her.

“I thought we couldn’t do that anymore,” Link grinned, his hooded eyes looking between hers and her lips.

“Well,” Zelda muttered with a guilty tone, “True. But honestly, who will know unless there’s a spy in my closet?” Sitting back, she couldn’t help but take a quick glance into the doors where a few dresses were hanging.

But she turned back to Link to see his eyes sliding closed. “Hey, no, you can’t actually stay here, remember?”

“Just give me five minutes, then I’ll go back,” he muttered before feeling her head back on his chest.

“Fine, five minutes,” she said, getting comfortable against him as her own eyes drifted shut.

* * *

Link woke up with his arm incredibly numb. Looking over, he could see Zelda still sleeping, and his discomfort was forgotten, worth it. He slowly slid his arm out from where it rested while trying his best not to disturb her so he could go. But something wasn’t right.

And then he noticed the mortified expression of someone standing just inside the doorway.

“Shit,” Link muttered. He should have known. He never woke up unless something _caused_ him to wake up. He shook Zelda. “Wake up. We have a problem.”

“What?” she whispered, not making any move to wake quickly.

“Zelda,” he said more urgently.

That had her sitting up, and she followed his gaze to where it rested on the dumbstruck Seres. Zelda's hand went to her waist, and she groaned remembered that she was still in her dress, and Seres was here to help her change.

“Seres,” Zelda said, springing to her feet, holding out a hand to the girl. “I hate to do this to you, but you know you can’t say anything, right? You can’t tell anyone what you just saw. Prince Daltus or Niko might do something rash.”

“No, Majesty, I would never,” she said, barely audible. “But how did Master Link get in here?”

Stressed, Link ran his hands through his hair after looking at Zelda. “I'm sorry. I dozed off.”

“It’s okay, so did I,” she said, brushing it off. It wasn’t just on him. “I don’t know why, but I trust Seres. But it’s probably best you go back.”

“Same way?”

Zelda nodded, and Link hesitated.

She gave his arm a light push. “I’ll be okay. Go.”

He groaned and ducked out the window, watching for a few moments before disappearing from view.

And it left Zelda alone to clench and unclench her fists. “Seres, we traveled together for a long time...”

“You don’t need to explain. I understand. Believe me, Princess, I wouldn't say a word. My loyalties are with you. I used to work in an apartment attached to the palace. Your family always treated me very well when they were around. I only ever saw you from a distance, but I knew your lady's maid, Marnie. She spoke highly of you. I can see why. Please, don't think I'd betray your trust. I will never tell a soul."

Zelda’s forehead scrunched up, questioning how true this story could be. Seres knew Marnie by name. She didn’t spot any of the obvious signs of deception in the girl, but she could see that, despite her nerves over the situation as a whole, her voice was steady, and her eyes were unwavering. Her gut was screaming that she could be trusted. Besides, it’s not like she was in the habit of beheading people she didn’t trust or anything like that. She almost found herself with little choice _but_ to trust her. “Who did you work for?” There were multiple apartments, and she didn't know which Seres was referring to.

“Sir Galvin Rutherford.”

Zelda’s mouth dropped. She recognized that as the son of one of the most prominent noble families in Hyrule, so much so that they lived in the apartments just a hallway walk away from the actual palace itself. 

And thanks to that, all the Rutherfords had died in the massacre.

“I’m sorry,” Zelda said, finally closing her mouth.

Seres took a step forward. "I don’t work for your cousin or Master Niko out of love or loyalty. I was in the city visiting my dying uncle when the castle was attacked. I would never have left my household during the attack. I would have gladly died to try to give them time to escape. They treated all of us like family. I want this war to end with the death of the usurper, and I want _you_ to be the Queen. I know that’s what the Rutherfords wanted as well. We were all undying in our loyalty to your family. Your cousin doesn't share that sentiment. From what I understand, he is pleased that you survived, but he would have been happy if you’d died as well.”

“He’d kill you for saying that,” Zelda muttered.

Seres nodded. “I know. But you said it yourself: you need allies who are willing to help you. Let me start to prove myself to you. And let me share one with you as well: Prince Daltus will likely not act if he found out about you and Master Link if he knows you're aware of his secret. He has a forbidden romance he’d like to keep to himself as well. If he says anything to you, you have leverage.”

“What? Who?”

“The master of the house. Master Niko.”

Zelda narrowed her eyes. "Forbidden? Niko is a noble. There's nothing forbidden about th..." she stopped herself, feeling stupid. “No legitimate heirs.”

“Exactly.”

“How do you know this?”

Seres began to set out a nightdress for Zelda, holding it up as if that were answer enough. “Servants in this house are invisible and inconsequential. We know far more than we should.”

“That’s horrible,” Zelda whispered, thinking back to Marnie or Helena. Her ladies maids were her closest friends.

But Seres smiled darkly, a forced and trained smile, and begin to undo the laces. “That’s just life, Princess.”

“It shouldn’t be.”

“You were blessed by the Goddess with an affinity to notice those who are otherwise invisible. I heard stories today about your time in the war. The person closest to you is a soldier you met in a prison cell. You are actually talking to me, whereas Master Niko would ask why I sneezed if he was requesting silence. You are a good person. You’ll be a great queen.”

Zelda stared at the floor. “I think… I trust you. Besides, you haven’t tried to kill me with a knife yet, so I’ll call that a step in the right direction.”

And for the first time, Seres actually laughed without looking like she'd done something horrible. “I’ll keep taking those steps, Your Majesty.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Throws fluffy confetti at Link and Zelda*


	31. Chapter 31

Zelda moved through the halls with Seres in tow, looking for something to do. After a week of trying to convince Daltus and Niko to do _something_ other than waiting around, she’d given up all hope that there was anything she could do from within the walls of the wretchedly large, exuberant building.

That didn’t mean that she had let time pass her by, however.

Zelda had asked Seres to keep her ears open for anything that might be even remotely interesting or useful. Again and again, Seres had proven herself to both Zelda and Link. She’d begun passing on any relevant gossip and secrets, and she had sent word to the man she’d mentioned that Zelda meet, though he was on a return journey from another trip, and wouldn’t arrive back in the city for some time. The woman who’d taken the message said she would let him know that the Princess wanted a meeting the moment of his return. 

Seres passed on any news from the outside too, like how Saria Town had, as expected, been decimated and was essentially a bare husk of what it had been when Zelda and Link were there. Ganondorf’s army had razed it to the ground, and anyone left inside had met the same fate.

She also knew Daltus’ soldiers did nothing, on his orders. 

She, on the other hand, hadn't been able to stand by.

She’d sent Link to recruit Finn for her. She'd occasionally seen him and Link hanging around whenever he wasn't with her, so she felt bad sending Link’s only friend away, but she needed someone trustworthy, and Daltus' people weren't. She had Finn run several rescue missions to bring any injured citizens to safety. She’d given him one of the fine jewels from Niko's collection to exchange for rupees to pay physicians to look at the wounded, and she’d stolen a good portion of the kitchen resources (with the permission of everyone but Daltus and Niko) to distribute to the refugees.

It was all she could do.

When Finn had returned the night earlier, saying that there were no more survivors left to rescue, but that the recuperation efforts were working very well, Zelda at least felt that she had done _something._

Zelda ducked into a corner and pulled Seres with her, wincing in pain and gripping her waist where her bodice dug into her. “I swear, these things are getting tighter. I think Daltus altered my measurements with the seamstress and is having them made to smaller specifications to slowly kill me, or at least to make me extremely uncomfortable,” Zelda laughed, though she didn't actually think it was funny. In fact, she very much believed it was a real possibility as opposed to a joke. “Can you please loosen it for me?”

“Right here, Princess?”

“Yes, just do it. Breathing hurts. That’s probably a bad sign.” Zelda had layers; her bodice was over a long shift, which was covered by her real dress, so it wasn't as if she'd be indecent.

And, as if the gods and goddesses enjoyed a good laugh, someone did come by.

Link.

“Seres?” he asked, only seeing her back hunched in a hallway. And then as he rounded that hall, he saw Zelda with half a dress pulled down her shoulders so Seres could reach the laces. 

“Gods,” he muttered, quickly taking up the place behind Seres, his back to them as he watched the hallway. “You’re right in the middle of a corridor.”

Zelda just chuckled, glancing over her shoulder to see him shuffling. “When there is an issue, you fix it immediately so it doesn’t get worse.”

“An issue?”

She didn’t really feel like explaining. “Yes, Link, I’m having an issue. I think it was either an extremely unfortunate mistake, or it was Daltus having a laugh. Goddess, I’m going to have a bruise after this. Seres? Can you check the measurements later?”

“Of course,” Seres said. As she looked it over, she realized that it did look smaller than usual. 

Zelda took a deep breath and tried to take her mind off of the sharp pain where it had dug into her, feeling relief as Seres adjusted it. “Just got a report though that Finn is back.”

“I saw him. He actually was sent to give me a message,” he said, letting out a deep sigh. “I was coming to tell you I have to go to the barracks today. Daltus’ request. You’ll need another guard.”

Zelda glanced behind her at both of them. Link wasn’t looking, but her eyes met Seres’, a mutual look of suspicion over the request passing between them. 

“Daltus requested you? Why?”

Link shrugged. “Didn’t say. Seres? Any idea?”

The girl finished re-lacing Zelda’s dress and then turned. “No, Master Link.”

“Great,” he muttered, glancing at Zelda again.

She made a face as she fixed her dress. “Don’t let him put you in tight armor. He might be trying to suffocate you.”

“His _presence_ suffocates me. And not in a good way like yours does.”

“Link!” Zelda scoffed, a hesitant glance in Seres’ direction. But the girl kept a concealed smile, her eyes trained on the floor.

“Sorry,” he grimaced, but it didn't matter. Seres already knew. Link awkwardly nodded a farewell in Zelda's general direction before continuing on his way.

He hurried down the steps out the side door of the house and went one small street down to the barracks, watching everyone’s eyes turn to him suspiciously as they always did when he paid a visit. A simple guard with his own room in the house rather than sharing the uncomfortable bunks of the barracks? It didn't sit well with everyone. He didn’t care. He’d spent ten years in those beds and at those tables. He'd paid his dues. 

Ignoring the whispers, he turned into the courtyard and watched different groups run sparring drills for the Prince and Niko beside him. Link watched the exercises with interest. They were decent, but they weren’t nearly advanced enough to be going up against Ganondorf’s soldiers and his demonic army of overzealous creatures. Of course, he couldn't expect to see anything intense from people who had joined only after the Princess' call for aid. The once farmers, shopkeepers, tailors, millers... they were learning, and that was enough for now.

It was only when their drills were done that Daltus even noticed him and waved him over. “ _Master_ Link,” he cooed sarcastically, displeased to call him anything other than ‘soldier.’ “My cousin, the Princess Zelda of Hyrule--” Link rolled his eyes, as if he didn’t know who Daltus was talking about, “-- is the greatest treasure we have. Yet, you’ve been guarding her solo for some time now. I took it upon myself to have someone look into your past.”

“I’m not surprised that you would have,” Link forced out, hands in his pockets.

“Indeed. Walk with me,” Daltus said, though he didn’t wait to see if Link was even following. “Did you know your father is a traitor?”

Link scoffed. “A traitor to the living? He’s long dead.”

Daltus shook his head. “Not according to my reports.”

“I’d believe my eyes and the fact that I helped bury his corpse over your reports, Prince Daltus.”

“Alistair Rackham?”

That caused Link to laugh. “ _Step_ -father. I think he killed my mother, so he doesn’t have my sympathy. Kill him if he’s a traitor.”

Daltus cleared his throat. Not the answers he’d been expecting. “Well, your very relation to him puts you under suspicion.”

“Suspect me all you want, Sire. I have nothing to hide. I’m loyal to Princess Zelda and the Royal Family of Hyrule.”

“Well,” Daltus said, stopping. “I did suspect you, so I dug deeper. People around you die often, don’t they _soldier_? I saw some of your reports that had been sent over.”

Link’s mouth tightened into a line, and he waited. Daltus was reading a note in his hand.

“Let me see here, you were friends with another traitor, a one Kayne Reed.”

Link flexed his hand, the memory sending fresh pain into the scar on his palm. “Yes, and I paid the price for that misplaced friendship.”

“He’s alive, you know.”

Link felt his foot tapping against the ground. “I had hoped he wasn’t.”

“And you were trained in Hyrule’s Western Garrison, correct? Some of my people had heard of you when I asked.”

Link waited. Obviously, Daltus knew the answer to that question.

“Well,” he continued when he realized Link wasn’t planning on talking. “Your specialty?”

“Open field combat.”

“Hardly guard material.”

“Hardly,” Link agreed levelly.

“Yet, my cousin refuses to trade you in for a specialized guard. She gives you privileged treatment, and she won’t send you to the front lines where you’ll be most useful. Why?”

“I don’t speak for her,” Link said, though he wasn’t sure how much longer he could contain the annoyance in his tone. “Is this why you wanted to see me?”

“No, actually, it isn’t.” Daltus led Link on to the other side of the courtyard. “If you’re to protect my baby cousin on my watch, I need to see what you’re capable of. We’re going to war, and you claim to specialize in open field combat, so demonstrate some for me.”

Link nodded, unsure what else he could do as an answer. It’s not like the exercise itself bothered him, but he wasn’t thrilled that he had to prove himself to Daltus. Besides, it was a strange request after being around for over a week, and it wasn't as if he hadn't already read his reports. Very little of it made sense.

Until he went to undo his belt with his sword so he could grab one of the training swords instead. Daltus clicked his tongue and shook his head, stopping him before he could unclasp his belt, eyeing the sharp blade at his hip with a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

“Real weapons? You want us to use real weapons in a training yard skirmish?” Link scoffed, unable to hide his disgust over his blatant disregard for safety policies of his own soldiers. Most of them were new and shouldn't be let near a real sword for at least another week. The ones they trained with were identical to real weapons, but the edges were blunt to prevent accidental injuries. “The commander won’t let that fly.”

“We’ll see,” Daltus said, heading over to the woman dressed slightly different from the others to signify her rank. Link watched her face sour, but her head nod hesitantly before Daltus moved over to the sidelines with a satisfied smirk on his face.

Link felt the hair on the back of his neck raise and turned to spot a crowd gathering on the second floor balcony, the easiest place to watch the barracks’ training yard from the mansion, which was close enough that no one needed to leave. And, in that crowd, he saw Zelda and Seres.

Her chin tilted up in a silent question. _What’s going on?_

He glanced behind him and placed his hand on his sword, tapping his fingers against the hilt. Understanding flashed across her face, but then, she _really_ understood and ducked back into the house.

Link groaned as he turned around, hearing several pairs of footsteps in the grass.

Daltus clapped his hands. “Prove to your Prince that you can defend this land and her people, soldiers.”

“No allies for me?” Link called with an easy smile that guarded his annoyed expression as two soldiers stepped in front of him, swords ready, though their faced betrayed the same uneasiness he felt, but also practically screamed out that they were among the new recruits, eager to prove themselves, but too afraid to look courageous. _This is how people die_ , Link thought to himself, already spotting several problems in their stances.

And as the thought hit him, his eyes made a quick sweep of the nearest roofs, checking for any archers who might be lurking if this was a trap.

“No, you alone protect the Princess, so alone you stand.”

“Fair enough,” he muttered. “Not quite a battlefield though.”

“It is now. Fight!”

Before Daltus even said a word Link could see that these were soldiers who had been here less than a week. Their feet were positioned wrong, their grips on their swords too tight. It made him cringe, and he swung his sword around in his loose grip as they tried to size him up, hoping they might get messages he was trying to send: one, their grip on their weapons was too tight, and two, he was more experienced than they were. They didn’t get any of it, charging at him with novice abandon when Daltus called for it to begin. Link wondered if he should at least give them a chance to try to prove themselves.

He didn’t.

Besides, it was a safety hazard having them both out with real weapons so untrained.

He stood his ground as both soldiers ran at him, and he casually and slowly moved to the side, tripping one and grabbing the sword in the process. For the other, it took little more than an easy parry to loosen the man's grip on the sword he clung to so desperately and land it in Link's hands.

Handing back their swords, Link pointed out their mistakes. “Looser grip,” he muttered so Daltus couldn’t hear. And he helped the other up: “Work on your feet.” The two thanked him and shuffled off to the side in their embarrassment where about twenty other new recruits from the city sat huddled together. Then, turning back to Daltus, Link shrugged. “Did they tell you I’ve had my job for a decade?”

“Just a warm up,” Daltus said, snapping his fingers at three rougher men. From the way they carried themselves, Link could tell only one was a seasoned soldier, and the other two were just large, muscular men, maybe a blacksmith or someone else who had the upper body strength of a boulder, but they both lacked any finesse to actually be trained soldiers. Daltus looked at them and gestured to Link.

Link found himself momentarily distracted as Zelda emerged, walking around the long courtyard to reach her cousin. But there was a sword in his face the next moment, and he remembered _real swords_ didn’t allow for distractions.

Zelda glanced at Link’s fight. She could see that there was a great deal of restraint to his swings. She’d seen him fight for real, and he was far more aggressive in his movements than this. Lifting the skirt of her dress slightly so she could move faster without tripping, she hurried to pass Niko, but he moved into her way.

“Princess, let the Prince do this. These soldiers are untrained, but even they don’t see him as a fighter. He needs to be looked at with more respect or fear if the people are to follow.”

“Move,” she practically growled at him, uncaring about Daltus or his respect when he was making Link and the others use actual, sharp, dangerous weapons.

Niko bowed his head. No matter what, he was still her subject.

She continued on and stopped just short of the Prince. “Daltus, what is this?”

“A test of strength, cousin.”

“With real weapons? You can’t possibly be that _stupid_ , can you? This is how untrained recruits end up dead. Do you want that?”

The sound of clanking steel became less frequent as everyone's attentions began to turn, even the four fighters.

“You asked me to let the citizens join the barracks and train. Here is the result! They are training! If any of them die, it’s only because they aren’t soldiers. We’re about to face evil in the flesh, and you want me to go easy on them? Your soldier should be a fair test to them.” Daltus took a step towards her and lowered his voice. “And don’t speak to me that way, baby cousin. We are equals still.”

“Are we?” she asked, matching his step. “Because I don’t think we are. I believe you are a sitting Prince, and I am an uncrowned Queen.”

Daltus grabbed her arm, pulling her close with a force she didn’t expect that had her gasping. “You are a still just a child!”

But his eyes didn’t stay on hers for long. They drifted to the sword now at his throat, the challenging glare in the wielder’s blue eyes, and then around him at the weapons that had all moved to be trained on Link, though he didn’t lower his arm despite the danger he faced.

“Link,” Zelda cautioned. She realized it.

But Link’s gaze moved to Daltus’ hand still tightly gripping Zelda’s arm. One by one, Daltus loosened his fingers until her hand fell. Link lowered his sword, as did every soldier.

“Did I tell you to lower your weapons?” Daltus hissed directly to the three soldiers Link had been fighting.

“Daltus,” Zelda whispered. “This makes you look like a madman, not a king.”

“He threatened my life,” he said coolly, still addressing the soldiers behind Link. “Injure him.”

“No!” she tried, but she was too slow.

Link remained still, glaring at Daltus as he jutted forward, the only sign that he’d been hurt was a small twitch of his lip and the sting on his arm.

“Now, stand down, soldier,” Daltus grinned as he moved into Link’s space.

Link could feel Zelda against him where she’d placed herself between him and the soldiers’ still-ready swords under the pretense that she was examining Link’s bleeding arm. But he felt her heavy breathing, knowing that her position between him and them was far more deliberate than just checking on a surface wound.

Daltus was on Link's already thin nerves, and he didn't move, still staring defiantly at the Prince. “I’m not your subject, nor am I your soldier. I’m _hers_ , and the Princess’ is the only command I answer to.”

Daltus’ head swiveled to Zelda. “Well, cousin? I’m being threatened by _your_ guard. Technically, that’s punishable by death. Threatening a royal? What will you do?”

Zelda’s eyes darted to Link’s as his words sank in. _Really_ sank in. Link watched as her expression changed, not bothering to hide his grin, wide with admiration.

Zelda turned her head slightly over her shoulder. “Drop your weapons.” She closed her eyes in relief when she heard two plops, two of the three following her command, and her attention switched to Daltus. “You have your soldiers. _Everyone else_ is my subject, and I am the one responsible for them. You can’t condemn them to death, and my orders supersede yours. A part of me forgot who I am. Niko is my subject, not yours. His barracks are mine, not yours. And this kingdom? It’s mine… not yours.”

“You won’t have a kingdom without my soldiers. I can walk at any time and take them with me.”

“On what grounds?" she scoffed, "Your bruised ego? Your people will respect that, for sure. You can’t take an army away from me like I’m a child being scolded and losing her favorite toy without a good reason. I’m not a child. I’m _not_ your baby cousin. I’m the future Queen of Hyrule, and you will start showing me that respect. If you don’t think you have to because I’m still just a princess, when I’m crowned, Auntie Teleria and Uncle Edmund will know exactly why I had to cut off trade with them. And they’ll know exactly who to blame for that.”

Daltus’ eyes softened from their hard glare before widening ever so slightly. She was shorter than he was, and she was thinner with almost no muscle mass. Her blonde hair was straight and neatly pinned. She was in a gorgeous dress. But Daltus cowered away from her as realization crossed his features. He knew that they weren’t equal, and until now, he’d been able to convince her that they were. That leverage was gone in an instant, though the arrogance behind it hadn’t disappeared quite as quickly as his resolve.

His parents would all but disown him if his arrogance and ego were the only things keeping their kingdom from making money. And Hyrule, though it was currently a fair mess, was a self-sustaining kingdom. They had everything they needed, and cutting trade would hurt their economy a bit, but it would not be the biggest issue. Daltus knew that. Teleria and Edmund knew that. Nohansen and Llyan knew that. Now, Zelda knew it too.

“Link,” Zelda said, lightly grabbing his arm but glaring at Daltus. “Let’s go get that taken care of.”

Link kept his eyes on Daltus as well, though he nodded. “As you wish.”

She led him away, keeping a steeled expression until they ducked inside a doorway, Seres on her heels. Then, without ceremony, she lowered herself to the ground and let out a long breath and covered her mouth. Despite that, Link could see the smile in her eyes, and the laugh on her face.

“That was impressive,” Seres said. “He’s never been put in his place so forcefully.”

“Oh Goddess Hylia, that felt so good,” she chuckled giddily. But her wide eyes betrayed that she wasn't entirely living on cloud nine. “He’s going to invade Hyrule the day his parents die,” Zelda muttered, though her nervous laughter was still bubbling. “He’s going to stab me in my sleep or poison my food.”

Link offered her his hand, wriggling his fingers at her. “Well, we know how to handle the stabbing in your sleep thing, and honestly, I’ve been looking for an excuse to eat some of that food you have. We get less interesting concoctions after your meal.”

“You’re not going to taste my food for poison, Link,” Zelda chastised, but she took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. “Though your other idea is a good one.”

He smirked, staring at her with _that_ look that Zelda often felt herself melting under. But for once she was grateful he didn’t follow it up with a sly comment, despite being able to see one on the tip of his tongue. She was far too on edge to worry about prying ears.

Link’s eyes softened immeasurably as he watched her. “I’m going to go find Finn. I think he can be helpful. Another guard never hurt.”

“I can go,” Seres offered.

Link cleared his throat. “I’ll just be a minute. Go ahead. We’ll find you.”

“We’re going to head back to my room. Meet there.”

He nodded and let out the breath he’d been holding as he longingly watched Zelda walk away. He needed the walk to clear his head as he was swarmed by everything all at once.

With every blink, he could see Daltus grabbing her hand, his knuckles white with pent-up rage. He could see the brief, uncontrolled look of fear on her face just a moment before she’d managed to control it. She was better at controlling her emotions than he was. He’d nearly killed a Prince. If Daltus hadn’t let go…

There was only one person he’d go that far for. Only one person he’d be that _stupid_ for.

Taking a knife for her had been the first wakeup call he’d had. In the aftermath, he’d been _glad_ that he’d been stabbed, because at least it hadn’t been her. He’d been relieved that he’d been given the fairy, not because it healed him, but because she didn’t have to be the one to endure the pain he’d felt as the beast flew around inside him. And now, he realized he didn’t regret holding a sword to Daltus’ throat… not if it meant that she wouldn’t have to deal with that man ever again.

He knew she was more than capable of handling herself against Daltus, and even against the verbal war Ganondorf had waged with her. It was one of the many things he loved about her. But it didn’t stop the ache he felt to keep her safe, and to keep her happy, even if he had to die to do it.

Along the way, despite having every reason to fight against it, the one thing in the world that could never be, ended up happening. He hadn’t fought it, thinking his logical brain might have done a little more to help him out. But it had succumbed just like the rest of him.

Before _her,_ he’d seen his life ending on a battlefield in a few years, forgotten in an unmarked grave where no one would ever find him again.

He’d never let anyone deep enough into his heart for fear he’d lose them, or hurt them with his inevitable death. His friends and his family only managed to scratch the surface, but he’d accidently let one person in. When she smiled, _he_ smiled, if only because he knew she was happy. She’d dug in deep, and he didn’t know how to react to that. There was only one person that made him think that there might be a reason to try to imagine what his _life_ might look like, not his death.

He was dying of thirst, and she was the water he couldn’t figure out how to back away from.

But a soldier who isn’t even worthy of the title ‘Sir’ in front of his name could never dream of anything even remotely serious with the future Queen of Hyrule, which made his revelations turn bittersweet in his mind. 

He was madly in love with Zelda.


	32. Chapter 32

“Hrmm,” Link muttered to himself, staring at the board in front of him. His chin rested in his hand as he leaned over it, studying the pieces intently.

“Please make a move,” Zelda groaned. “You’re not fighting a real war.”

Link made a noise just to acknowledge he’d heard her, but he didn’t move any of the pieces on the board or even a muscle. That is, until he jerked back with a harsh ‘ow’ and an accusatory look at the girl across from him. She was beaming, far too happy with herself. 

“Zelda!” he laughed, scooting his chair farther away where she couldn’t kick his leg again. 

“Move!”

“I’m a soldier! I have to strategize.”

“It’s chess, Link. It’s just chess. The point is to move your pieces, not to stare at them like you’re at a museum. Look, I'll even be nice and help you!” she reached over the board and moved his rook forward with a heavy sigh of relief. “Thank the gods.”

“That’s not my move!” he chuckled, swatting her hand away from her own piece before moving his back to its original place. He grinned up at her, fighting back a laugh at her exasperated expression and gave it a solid few more minutes before putting his rook on the same square she’d had it.

She glared at him with deadly—but amused—rage. “I am never playing this with you again.”

“Yes you will.”

“I can’t believe it. I absolutely hate you. Without a doubt, you’re the worst.”

“I know,” he snorted, trying to keep his eyes on the board, though he knew that was an impossibility.

She had a hand on her piece, wondering if she should at least pretend to think over her move to give Link some time to study the board. Link had taken so long that she’d prepared a strategy no matter which piece Link had moved. But she moved her knight and waited as Link’s forehead crinkled. He hadn’t expected that. And that meant he was going to think some more.

Zelda slouched in her chair and looked at the trees that surrounded them, offering some privacy from the rest of the courtyard. Thanks to Link’s presence, there were no guards at the edge of the tall hedges which was the only real way into the small, sectioned off garden area. She welcomed the fresh air and the feeling of grass against her feet. She’d kicked off her heels almost the second she’d sat down.

Link thought his move over for a moment, but he could see that even in that short time, Zelda was bored waiting for him. Or, not bored, because he’d offered a raincheck when he realized how mismatched their skills were so he could get in a few games of practice with Finn, but she’d hastily declined his offer. Still, she couldn't help but be mildly impatient with his slow turns.

His focus on the game was entirely broken as she leaned back in her chair, losing the stiff posture that she’d re-adapted to since they’d been out of the woods. Link noted how she looked far more comfortable than usual, almost like she did when lying on a bed or a couch. A soft smile tugged at his face as he watched her look around and stretch out her arms with a small lazy grin on her face. Some of her arm lit up as it breached the boarder of the shade that covered the table from the surrounding trees, but he watched her turn her face into the breeze and into the warmth of the light. He could easily see the freckles under her eyes that usually required him to be close to her. And her hair was down, flickering in the wind, tangling, though she either didn’t mind or notice.

“Have you made your move yet?” she asked without turning to him.

Blinking just to clear his vision of her for a necessary moment of clarity, he cleared his throat and blindly pushed a pawn forward. “Yes.”

She turned to him in surprise, given the relatively short time between their turns, and looked at the board. Her lips pursed in suspicion and Link leaned forward with an easy smile on his face. She hadn’t expected that move because… well, he didn’t really know what move he’d even made.

“You really don’t know how to play, do you?” Zelda asked as she studied his move with an amused look on her face. 

“I’ve played, just not very often. And clearly not as well as you.”

She grinned and pushed his pawn back where it had been. “Well, you can’t move two spaces again.”

“Fine,” he said, sliding it up one instead.

She gave him another exasperated look. “You don’t want to make that move. You were guarding your queen. If you do that, I’m going to have to kill her now and then absolutely destroy your king in a few more moves. It's a terrible decision. Try again, Link.”

He tapped his fingers on the table and slid another piece diagonally. Zelda bit her lip, trying not to smile or look too entertained at his blunders. “Nope. Not allowed.”

“Why?” Link mused. “You already said I was going to lose. Let me cheat to try to win.”

“No, absolutely not,” she laughed, reaching for the piece to move it back to its place.

But Link grabbed her hand, stopping her from sliding it back. “Let go of my knight. That's the move I want to make.”

“No!”

He couldn’t stop the smile that broke out over his face. “Give me my knight, Zelda!”

She shook her head and pulled the piece protectively into her fingers, keeping it safe in a fist, looking at him triumphantly.

He raised an eyebrow and slid his finger under her thumb toward the chess piece with just enough force to prove that he could easily take it back from her if he wanted to. She grimaced, aware that she’d lose this battle if he wanted her to, remembering just how much stronger he was as her fingers started to loosen. “Stop trying to take the knight, Link.”

“It’s my piece.”

Her other hand clamped down over his to stop him, and she stood up for leverage. “You’re a cheater. You have to let me put it back.”

“No. In war you get ahead however you can.”

“Stupid soldier mentality,” she grumbled humorously.

“You’re the one who told me this is a war game.”

“I didn’t think you’d take it so seriously! This is a board game! You cannot cheat in a board game, no matter how bad you are at it!”

“Want a bet?” he said, his eyes flickering as he wriggled the piece free from her grasp and waved it in her face.

“No!” Zelda laughed, pushing her chair back.

“Oh boy,” Link chuckled as she made her way around the table towards him. He moved his chair between them and tucked the piece into his own fist as he backed away.

“Link, let it go!”

He crossed his arms and fought back a desperate laugh as Zelda practically threw her weight on him to try and make his arms budge. She tried to pull them away, but he just watched her, feeling her best efforts amount to barely budging him. After two solid failed attempts, he loosened his muscles to let her pull his arms away with ease.

“Ha!” she laughed triumphantly, as if she'd won a great victory.

He shook his head, tauntingly waving the knight in front of her. She lunged for it, but he took a step back and caught her, wrapping his arm around her waist, trapping her against him. "You can't win, Zelda."

She leaned into him and glanced at the opening in the hedges to be sure no one had come to check on them. "Fine, you win."

"Mmm," Link muttered, letting go of her and backing away to his side of the table again. "I don't trust you."

Zelda shrugged innocently, but Link knew her, and her expression was anything but innocent. He held the piece behind him with his arm stretched out away from her. 

“You underestimate me,” she said, mirroring his past words to her. They were both breathing heavily; she could feel her heart race around him, despite their childish activity. She sauntered up to him, leaving him to watch her warily. She didn't know what she looked like, but even despite the sunlight beating on them as they moved farther from the shade, she could see Link's eyes lacked his usual blue. 

And when she was close enough, she lightly pressed her nails into the armpit of his shirt.

“Oh shit!” he laughed, dropping the knight automatically.

Zelda bit her lip, watching him stumble backwards like it had been a physical blow. But her win wasn’t to be celebrated just yet. They locked eyes again just before they both dove for the piece on the ground.

And banged heads.

They both lost their balance and felt themselves crash into the grass. “Ow!” Zelda whined, grabbing her forehead. She looked up to see Link mirroring her, groaning.

He rolled off his knees and into the grass, glancing over at her. “Sorry.”

“Me too,” she whispered, though her eyes darted around. “Where did it go?”

He shrugged, too casual, and she pushed his arm. “You’re lying on it! That must hurt! Move!”

“No.”

“Are we really still doing this?” she asked incredulously.

“Come get it then. End it.”

She knelt beside him and shoved him, trying to force him onto his side. The best she could do was slide her hands under his back.

His arm snaked around her, stopping her just before she made it to the piece, and he rolled them over so Zelda was under him, pinning her hand just out of reach of the knight. “Have I won yet?

She sat up using her other arm and Link met her halfway, reading her mind, lips crashing together feverishly. She pulled him back down, their lips meeting time and time again, perhaps with too much enthusiasm to the point where Link actually wondered if he’d accidently bitten her lip too hard.

“Wait, wait,” Zelda said pulling away, panting for breath as her eyes widened. “Are we even alone?”

Link snorted and looked up to the entrance that she couldn’t see from where she lay. “Yeah, we’re fine. Figuring that out a little too late if we weren’t though.”

“Oh Goddess,” she breathed, laying her head back down. “Imagine if we didn’t notice people just standing there?”

“I don’t know if I’d have noticed Ganondorf just now,” Link laughed, leaning down for a much gentler kiss. 

She wrapped her hand around his neck. “We’re still in public. Anyone can come over here. And neither of us are being particularly quiet.”

“Ugh,” he groaned leaning back and helping her into a sitting position. “I hate it here.”

“Same,” she grinned, smoothing back her disheveled hair.

Link reached over and pulled a hair pin and a piece of grass from her locks.

“Help me,” she said, gesturing to the pin. “Where does it look like I was just rolling through the grass with a man instead of playing a polite game of chess?”

He chuckled and pressing down a wild piece of her hair and used the pin to secure it. “And you’re back to being a princess.”

“After I do one more thing,” she said with a mischievous look in her eyes.

And she reached for the knight piece one more time, grabbing it and rising to her feet, backing away towards the house.

Link shrugged. “I can get it right back you know.”

“Can you?” she winked before dropping it down her bodice, giggling to herself as she watched his expression too obviously morph from humor to lust. Well, she knew who won. While the greater part of her warned her to back off and leave, another part of her wanted to dare him, to see that look in his eyes and remember that she wasn’t alone.

He strode up to her, and her breath hitched in surprise when he stopped next to her. His eyes weren’t on hers for _quite_ a long time, and she almost wondered if he’d take the bait. When he finally raised his unblinking eyes to hers, his pupils were blown and his wolfish grin was predatory in the best way. 

But he just lowered his voice and shook his head. “I _absolutely_ could.” Zelda leaned toward him subconsciously, and felt his hands tightly against her waist before pushing her away so he could breathe. Zelda knew even he had more willpower than she wished he did, especially out in the middle of a crowded yard. “But I won’t.”

“That’s too bad. That means I won,” she breathed out heavily as she started to back away again. 

Link followed, shoving his hands into his pockets and throwing his head back to feel the cool breeze. “Did you, though?”

She chuckled, unable to look back at him. “No. I won the wrong game.”

“That’s what happens when you’re evil.”

She spun around, arms wide in defeat. “You live and you learn, Link. I’ll have to remember what game I’m playing when we have a rematch.” She spun back, laughing. 

He caught up to her and she leaned into his side as they walked. They both looked around, seeing that there were no eyes on them, and at once leaned into each other for a quick kiss before heading separate ways. Link wasn’t scheduled as her guard for the rest of the day, leaving her in the constant presence of someone else, and he could already see Finn waiting inside, looking bored as he leaned against one of the walls. 

“Princess,” Link called before they were too far away. She turned to watch him walk away though he didn’t look back at her. “Next time, we’re playing cards.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is literally my most shameless chapter filled with fluff and flirting and I regret NOTHING!! There was no political plot. They needed a break. We all needed a break from Daltus to bring back the days of shameless flirting in the woods (even though they're not in the woods).


	33. Chapter 33

Zelda sat with her feet curled up on the long sofa in Niko’s library. She’d expected that, as a well-respected nobleman, Niko might have a decent sized library, but when she was finally led there, it was sadly pathetic. The local bookstores would have more than he did. She’d scrunched down on her knees to the single small shelf of about fifteen books on it just to see the titles. In the week since she’d stood up to Daltus, she’d managed to read half his collection of near useless books.

So, with the book _Strong Gazes_ in her hand, she lazily flipped the pages. She almost wanted to cover the title with her hand whenever anyone walked by. While it almost looked like she was reading a romance novel, it was actually a book by an orator on speech and postures that convey authority.

Every now and then, she’d follow a motion that the book suggested, but she felt far more silly than powerful when it suggested sitting with her legs far apart and with her chest out. She snorted, knowing that it was written either by a man, or for one, because there was no way in the realms that she would ever do that, especially in the dresses she wore.

Letting the book fall to the floor, no energy even to hold it, she laid back and closed her eyes as she waited for Seres to return with the man she’d been waiting to meet. He’d finally arrived in the city, and he was as eager to meet her as she was him.

There was nothing comfortable about laying on the couch, so she put the book away before leaning against the doorframe to get a better look at her guard. It was Finn, who’d volunteered several times now to guard her to give Link a break. She was grateful, but she had far more trust in some of her Hylian soldiers now than she had before after realizing that they would answer to her over Daltus as the two Hylians had when Link had all but beheaded Daltus.

Link and Finn reported back several times that they’d tested several soldiers, and it held true, and while she didn’t ask for their methods, they’d both returned to her very convinced that the Hylians were loyal to her.

“So,” she asked Finn. “Do you have any thoughts on anything we’ve been doing?”

Though he was still nervous around her, he’d finally begun to speak to her like she was a person. “Nothing negative about you, but I do think Prince Daltus could be doing more. Rumor has it that he’s been going off about you to his servants.”

“Why this time? Do you know?”

“He didn’t go into specifics, just that you were being—and these are his words, not mine—a ‘petulant brat.’”

She rolled her eyes. “At least I’m not a boring house guest. Have you heard anything on Ganondorf?”

“I’m afraid not, Princess. The last I heard was when I went out to Saria Town.”

“Thank you, Finn.”

“Mmm,” he muttered, fidgeting a bit. “Have you seen Seres yet?”

Zelda settled herself comfortably against the doorframe with a light smile on her face. “I believe you’d be the one to see her first.”

“R-right,” he stuttered, clearing his throat, and looking away uncomfortably. “Right, of course.”

“How are the people of Saria anyway? Do you know that?”

“I do,” he said, relieved to change the topic. “Many of them are refugees here. Princess, the vast majority are eternally grateful for the support you sent after the attack. Some of them wish you’d sent support sooner, but we’ve been working to spread the word that it was the Prince and not yourself who refused to send support. There are a very small few though who…” he stopped and swallowed nervously. “Well, they believe you’re at fault for going through their town in the first place.”

Zelda sighed and shook her head. “It _is_ my fault though, isn’t it? I’m sure my mother or father could have figured out a way to avoid decimating an entire town.”

Finn placed a comforting, though hesitant, hand on her arm. “You’re doing better than you think, Princess. Link has told me some stories. You’re a bit like the Goddess herself when he tells stories, I often don’t know how much he’s joking and how much really happened.”

Zelda looked away to hide the red in her face. She could tell that Finn didn’t know for sure about her and Link, but it was also clear that he was suspicious. Honestly, all it took was for someone to spend a few days with them in close company to figure there was something going on between them.

“Gods, what did he say?” she asked, playing it off as the joke he’d been making.

Finn chuckled. “Well, besides telling me how many times you’ve saved his life or stitched his wounds, he tells me you were in Hyrule Field before Ganondorf took power.”

“I was.”

“I wish I had been there to see it. I’ve seen nobles helping out before, though never quite in the capacity I hear you’ve helped. Especially given your status. Many of the more robust ones will fight with us, but thanks to their status, they’re mostly relegated to safer roles. He also tells me you want to come on the front lines when we fight Ganondorf.”

“Link likes to talk, doesn’t he?” Zelda laughed.

“He does like the sound of his own voice, doesn’t he? Well, when you’re at the taverns, you need something to do,” he joked. Finn, Link, and several other trusted soldiers had begun taking turns listening in at taverns where there was most gossip. They’d worked to quell harmful rumors against her, and on occasion, those against Daltus as well. But they’d also spread word of the Princess’ need for brave soldiers. And as soon as it became a personal request from Her Majesty, many people found themselves eager. It baffled her, but Link and Finn had assured her that they knew what soldiers fought for: family and love, freedom, homes, loyalty, money, and at the bottom, because they have to.

“I’d love to see all of you in action,” she admitted, staring back into the hallway. “Obviously I can’t come to the taverns with you, but you all do so much and I’m stuck here reading—” she turned around and waved at the bookcase in disgust, “— _Strong Gazes_ because Niko doesn’t apparently know how to cultivate a library with useful texts _._ ”

“You know what?” Finn said, suddenly turning to her. “I know this won’t help you, uh, ‘strongly gaze’ at anyone, but you should read some of the soldier’s reports. They get out far more than we do, as your guards, and you’ll get a better understanding of the field. I don’t think Commander Ashei would let you take them from her office. She’s a stickler, but she’d absolutely let you read every one if you wanted.”

Zelda smiled. “I like that idea. I’ll do that, perhaps tomorrow. Thank you.”

“Of course, Princess.” He stiffened beside her, looking nervous again. “Seres is coming.”

Zelda moved to his side to get a better look down the hall, and sure enough, Seres was coming toward them with clasped hands. She looked between them both. “Master Link has them in his room. I suggest we go there soon. The guards are Bardo and Leon, so we should be okay for a few more hours until they swap.”

“Then let’s go,” Zelda said, trying not to rush in her excitement and bring attention to themselves. She’d been waiting anxiously for too long, and she just wanted to see who Seres was intent that she meet.

But it was too rare that something would ever go smoothly, and Daltus came around the corner with a wide smile on his face. “Cousin!” he practically shouted.

Zelda made a face and stopped. “Cousin?” she offered in a weak reply.

“Where are you off to? Come! Come, let me make amends for my behavior! I’m sorry, I’ve been a fool! Let’s have a glass of wine and discuss how we can move forward together! I would love to have a word with you about something rather important. Actually, I suppose, I have something to _tell_ you.”

Zelda gave him a sweet smile, one she’d nearly perfected after being in his presence. “Oh, Daltus, I would love that. However, I’m feeling a bit queasy right now. I was just on my way to have a rest in my room. How about if I’m feeling better, we can have that glass after dinner or even tomorrow?”

“Of course, of course,” he said in a strangely enthusiastic tone with an alarmingly excited glint in his eyes. It made her wonder if he was already drunk. “Yes, we don’t want you ill. Go, go! Rest! I shall hopefully see you soon!”

With a wave, he continued down the hall. Zelda waited until he was out of sight before motioning for Finn and Seres to follow her down the hall he’d just come out of. She put her hands behind her back, wringing her fingers as she peeked into each room they passed. And it wasn’t until they heard the mumbled complaining of Niko that she had them stop close enough to his doorway so they could hear him.

“—and have him come quickly. Tell him it’s at Prince Daltus’ request, not mine. We spoke earlier so he is aware. I’m sure _she_ will get the credit once again, but at least we’ll have his soldiers.”

“Yes, Master Niko,” a voice replied before they could hear his footsteps making their way towards them.

Zelda felt Finn pushing her and Seres into the nearest room and he closed the door just in time for them to hear that same voice.

“What are you doing here? This is Master Niko’s private rooms, and only his guards are authorized to come here. I should have you whipped for such a breach of privacy! Move, let’s go, you moblin!”

Zelda sucked in a hard breath and turned to Seres. “Will he really do that?”

“If he’s in Niko’s quarters, it’s likely one of Daltus’ guards. You won’t have his loyalty, so he just might.”

“Why can’t anything ever be easy?” Biting her lip hard, Zelda threw the door open and dragged Seres out. “I can’t believe it’s not there!” she sobbed, tears springing to her eyes as she bit her lip again for good measure. “I just can’t believe—” she stopped as she saw Finn being practically dragged across the hall, though the other man stopped as well. “What are you doing to my guard, soldier?”

The man’s expression tensed. “I found him outside of Master Niko’s room. There is no admittance to these rooms except for those with special clearance.”

Storming over to them, Zelda grabbed her own wrist. “I assume I have that clearance? He is my escort, and this is my lady. I lost…” she choked on a fake sob. “Yesterday, I came down here looking for my sweet cousin, Prince Daltus, but I lost my bracelet in my hasty search. It was… it was my mothers. It’s all I have left of her.”

“I’m sorry, Princess, but—”

“I never wear it for this reason!” she said, letting more tears spill, thankful that her already painted red lips disguised any blood that might have accidently shown. “I can’t believe I was so stupid. We just retraced every step I took. Have you seen it?”

“No… I haven’t.”

“Pearls. White pearls. Simple, but elegant, like my mother often wore, Of course, I suppose she was only in simple clothing to me because I was her daughter, so I saw her on her most casual days. She was lovely. She’d be so upset if she knew I’d lost them.”

“Princess,” the man tried again, choking on any articulate words as he watched her.

“Please, I must keep looking! She’s gone, and so are her pearls! Let him go so I might look!”

“I…” the man was uncomfortable, but he let go of Finn. “I’ll send word to you immediately if anyone sees them, Princess.”

“Thank you,” Zelda said, pushing Finn behind her and pulling at Seres. “Come, let’s check my room once again and start anew. Thank you for your assistance sir,” Zelda smiled back at the man as she hurried away.

When they were long away from the man, Zelda snorted out an excited laugh. “That was awful. I didn’t know what else to say.”

Seres laughed along with her. “Poor Finn though. Thank you for getting us inside that room though.”

Finn blushed worse than Zelda had ever seen as he turned away with a muttered ‘of course’ and then little else for the rest of the walk back.

When they reached Link and Zelda’s rooms, they all nodded a greeting to the guards, Bardo and Leon. “They’re all inside,” Leon said with a nod to the door.

“Great,” Zelda breathed, smoothing off her dress and glancing at Seres. “Let’s see if you were right about this guy.”

And she pushed the door to Link’s room opened, prepared for anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say that this chapter and the next one were originally one until it got so long that I split them up, which effectively makes this the only chapter at this point without Link actually in it! I didn’t think that would be possible, but there we have it.


	34. Chapter 34

As they pushed the door open the first person to come into view was Link, turning at the sound of the door. There was already a grin on his face from his conversation, stopping mid-sentence to nod a polite greeting at the three of them before backing away from the guests to give Zelda room.

Zelda immediately recognized that there were two people waiting in Link’s room rather than one, which was not something she expected, but then, she saw one of the two and immediately recognized him. “Shad!” she gasped, hurrying over to him, and pulling him into an excited hug as she breathed out a sigh of relief. “You made it out of Saria alive! Thank the Goddess!”

He pulled away and bowed before her, pushing his glasses up as he did. “Yes, I did, thanks to _you and Link_. The Goddess worked through you two to spare my life. And I made it to King Zora. He will happily aid you, though he confesses his troop numbers are very low compared to what you’ll need, but I can give you details later. I came along for the ride when I heard where he was going.”

She turned to the other man that Shad gestured to, older than Shad by a fair bit, but they had a very similar look to them. The older man was perhaps somewhere in his forties, and had red hair, like Shad. However, besides a decently grown-out beard, the man was average and oddly forgettable. It was in the way he’d dressed, the manner he held himself, the way he slouched forward with his head down, almost as if he were asleep. It made him small, easy to overlook. Perhaps that’s how she noticed Shad before the absolute stranger.

Shad patted the man on the back. “This is my brother, Viscen. He came to get me from the Zora’s. We just returned.”

Zelda turned to Seres with an interested look on her face. Seres grabbed Viscen by the arm, affectionate and familiar, like they’d known each other for a long time. “Princess,” she said, “This is the man I wanted you to meet. I wasn’t aware that you knew his brother, however.”

“Viscen, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Zelda said, extending her hand.

Viscen looked up at her for the first time and nodded, sighing fondly as he grasped her hand in both of his. “You do look just like your parents, Princess.”

She glanced at Link first before back to Viscen. “I’m sorry. Have we met?”

He lowered himself to his knee and pressed a hand to his heart as he regarded her. “No, Princess, never officially. I worked for your family for _many_ years in my youth.”

“Please, stand,” Zelda said, urging him to his feet before continuing. “You worked for them? Wouldn’t I have met you then?”

“I did work for them. I was… well… an agent of theirs.” He looked up to see if she understood, but her expression was plainly confused. “I worked directly for Lady Laurel.” He waited again. Still, nothing. He smiled kindly at her. “I gather you weren’t privy to any of that information yet. How much do you trust the people in this room, Princess?”

She looked around. “A great deal.”

Viscen chuckled to himself. “The wise answer would have been that you _don’t_ trust them. Always remember to trust but a few so completely, Princess. But I defer to you on that. Lady Laurel was your family’s spymaster. We agents were her eyes and ears in Hyrule. Our job was to gather information to pass along to the crown.

“However, since my time there ended, I have known Seres since the day she arrived here. I helped her get her current position, which is a part of the story on how she learned of my trade. Since you do not seem to know much about that position, I gather Seres brought me here with a lovely story, but just that. So, Princess, why am I here?”

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” Zelda asked calmly. “If you claim that I should trust few, why trust you?”

Viscen returned to his seat and to his position from earlier, head ducked and arms crossed. “You will never know for sure. But I can try to set your mind at ease: I knew your parents well. Lady Laurel and I would sit with them personally in their study. Your mother would sit in the red armchair and sip her tea throughout our meetings, and your father would pace, drinking his so quickly it would burn his tongue and he’d be forced to listen rather than speak. I gather your mother must have enjoyed the reprieve at times.” Zelda giggled at the memory, though it wasn’t hers. It could have been. She knew her mother’s favorite spot, and her father’s poor habits . Viscen could see her trying to process that information. “Would you like to ask me a question that only a friend would know?”

Zelda stuttered, wracking her brain. She turned to Link, who just made a face at her. He didn’t know.

“Uh… where… where did they go after they were married?” she said, deliberately keeping her hands at her sides, despite her nerves.

Shad, surprisingly, was the one who spoke first. His words weren’t unkind when he spoke, but an attempt to be helpful. “Even I know that one. That’s common knowledge, Princess. You should ask something else.”

Zelda turned to Viscen expectantly. He smiled and nodded at her. “Good choice, Princess. They went to the abandoned village in Shadow Valley for three days. Lady Laurel and I were the two who made sure no one suspected such a thing.”

Zelda felt a small smile tug on her lips as she looked around the room at confused faces. Again though, it was Shad who spoke. “No, the story is famous! They… they went to Lake Hylia where they were…” his voice trailed off, suddenly unsure of himself at Zelda’s expression. “They were rescued from a capsized boat from King Zora himself. Even he told me that story when I was there.”

“King Zora is an old friend,” Zelda shrugged. “He _would_ keep my family’s secrets. My parents didn’t know each other well when they married. It was arranged. They sent two of their bodyguards to Lake Hylia to masquerade as them at a distance for the crowds while they snuck off to learn more about each other in private. They went to Shadow Valley with only a handful of guards along the outskirts for their protection.”

“Wow,” Shad muttered, sitting back.

Zelda turned back to Viscen. “How do you figure your information out? You just… listen to people?” she asked, glancing around. She already had people doing that.

Viscen leaned forward and his eyes trailed slowly from face to face before landing on Link. He pointed a thin, almost bony finger at him. “You’ve known this one longest, and you trust him the most. Your eyes go to him first every time you look around.” His finger then moved to Finn. “Your soldier trusts his friend. They’ve been through a fair few things together before, and they knew each other in the past. Whenever there’s a creak of the floor as someone shifts, or if I say something he doesn’t like, like right now, he looks to you first, and then to his friend to see if he’s ready to move. Almost always on cue, his friend notices, and his fingers twitch toward his weapon, ready to strike me down. I’d wager that they served together and at the same rank. They don’t act equal though. The cues to act go through _your_ soldier, not his friend. It might be because you are closer to him, or potentially, your soldier might have been in line for a promotion before he was… well, I can’t tell what caused him to leave. Likely the invasion, which may have been what prevented him from moving up in rank as well. In times like these, you’d rather keep foot soldiers who are good at taking orders over ones giving them. He’s still not used to it. He hesitates, looking at you first, which is why I assume the promotion never happened. I would then go about verifying all of that in various ways to do so.” He glanced between Finn and Link, waiting.

Link shifted uneasily and turned to Zelda with a small shrug. “I never planned to accept, but they asked if I’d consider taking a small command unit. It wouldn’t have mattered though. We all quickly had other things to worry about.”

Viscen smiled. “Would you like me to tell you other things about your soldier, Princess? None of it is bad.”

Zelda shook her head, but Viscen _tsked_. “Fine. But what is it you three haven’t said? Seres looks very stressed.” His finger passed from Zelda, to Finn, to Seres. “I have a feeling it’s what you’d like my assistance with first.”

She turned to Finn and Seres. “Do you remember his exact words?”

Seres stepped forward. “We overheard Master Niko dispatching a message to one of his men: “ _’Have him come quickly. Tell him it’s Prince Daltus’ request. We spoke earlier so he is aware. I’m sure_ she _will get the credit again, but at least we’ll have his soldiers_.’”

Viscen nodded as she spoke and continued to long after she stopped. “Well, Princess, who out there has soldiers that your cousin might be contacting? I can tell you, but can you tell me?”

This one she was able to figure out. Not only had her parents mentioned them, but so had Daltus. “King Auru or Prince Midos both command armies and Daltus said at least one would be willing to help.”

“Good. And think… why would either of them need to come here quickly? What would Daltus have to offer them?”

“I…” Zelda stopped, unsure of the answer.

So Viscen continued. “Rumor has it that you and your cousin have been butting heads. Is that true?” Zelda nodded, so he kept going. “He is a pompous man, greedy, and ambitious. He’d thought your death meant that he would get Hyrule. He likely didn’t realize that it would have made him Ganondorf’s main target until your lovely speech that called us to action. He’d be left unprotected in the event that you are killed. He’s frightened of you and of your power. He doesn’t have it, thanks to his parents. Does this sound correct so far?”

Link, Finn, and Seres all started to nod, though Zelda couldn’t bring herself to move as she tried to make her brain work as fast as his.

“Well, let me offer you a lesson about the delicate balance of power that is often learned the hard way,” he said, eyes boring into hers. “Which of you holds more power? Easy: you. But, can he do anything about it? Does he have anything left to trade to keep a grip on any semblance of power that he can?”

“No?” she said uneasily. “Everything is still his parents’.”

“Wrong.” Viscen leaned forward, cautiously glancing at Link for a moment before turning back to Zelda. “How do you control a kingdom that isn’t yours?”

“Invade.”

“How?”

“An army?”

Viscen shook his head. “Have you ever played chess, Princess?”

Her eyes landed on Link, though neither could find anything to smile about as Viscen’s tone set them both on edge. “Yes,” she all but whispered.

Viscen nodded again, watching her start to realize something, though the words weren’t coming to her. He pointed to an imaginary board in front of him. “Tell me, what happens when you take a queen out of play? Are you more likely to win, or to lose? Who’s left?”

Zelda took a moment to think about his analogy, putting it into place with everything she knew about her cousin. And then, pieces slowly began to click, her eyes widening in actual horror to the point that Link stepped forward, hand ready on his sword for some unseen threat.

“Zelda?” he asked, shaking her shoulder.

But she couldn’t breathe, and she felt her knees were weak. “Me?” she choked out, addressing Viscen.

He nodded slowly. “That would be their smartest move, and my best guess, yes. Of course, I would need to confirm this.”

“What? What’s happening?” Link muttered as she leaned into him, feeling sick.

He helped her to the bed where she sat staring at the wall in shock. Link let go of his sword and grabbed both of Zelda’s shaking hands, uncaring about the audience. “What?”

Viscen stood up and pulled Shad along with him. “Princess, I’ll go see what I can find to verify or deny this. I’ll set Shad up at the local physician’s, should you need him or wish to call on him. But for now, I think our presence is not necessary. I will contact you, Seres, when I need to.”

Seres showed him out, but she and Finn stayed inside, too concerned that something was physically wrong with Zelda to leave her.

“Zelda!” Link tried again.

Her hand went to her mouth. “Oh gods, I can’t say no.”

“What? Please.”

Finally, she managed to bring her eyes up to his. “We were so stupid, Link. I never thought… I didn’t think I’d get cornered like this.”

He fought the urge to ask her again what was wrong, but he bit his tongue and tried holding her hands a bit tighter.

She made her mouth move, feeling like the words made her physically sick as she spoke them. “Daltus can’t control Hyrule while I’m alive. He’s just my cousin. But if he kills me, my people retaliate and would likely rebel, or Ganondorf would come for _him_. He’s not protected, so Daltus wouldn’t kill me. So, how else do you take a kingdom?” She breathed for a moment and let it out slowly before speaking again. “You offer an allied King a kingdom. You exchange a Princess for an army. You’re then protected by that army because of the gift you’ve given the King. He comes in like he’s a hero, offering troops to retake the kingdom, but it’s a double-edged weapon.”

Link sat back, his grip on her loosening as he closed his eyes, understanding too well where this was going.

Zelda needed to speak, feeling she might faint if she didn’t. “Daltus is going to bring King Auru here under an alliance between themselves. They have similar ideas. They’re like-minded and would be perfect allies. Auru might even be pliable. The only one who has more power than I do is a sitting royal, a King or Queen. Auru will offer me troops to save Hyrule. I can’t say no. _I can’t say no_.”

“I don’t understand,” Finn said, looking at Seres then at Link, who looked like someone had physically hit him in the gut.

Zelda’s voice dropped to a whisper as a tear fell down her cheek. “King Auru is going to come here to marry me. And I can’t say no because we don’t have enough troops to take Hyrule back alone. Daltus is playing at puppet master, and he has my string. This is what I’ve always been prepared to do. I ‘d known that I would likely marry politically, for armies or strong alliances. But when my parents died, I just… I thought that future was far off and that I could take the crown first. Then I could… I could say _no_.” She tried to turn to Link, but couldn’t do it, tearing her eyes off him, feeling only the warmth of his hand still tight in hers. “I didn’t think.”

“ _Oh_ ,” Seres said, grabbing Finn and practically shoving him out the door with her. “Let’s go. They need a minute. Go, go!”

When the door closed, Zelda felt her head crash into her free hand. “I’m so sorry, Link. _All of myself for the Kingdom of Hyrule._ This is how I save my people. I can’t say no to them out of selfish desire, and I can’t say no to Auru when he offers the troops we so desperately need.”

“I know,” he muttered into his palm.

She turned to him, and the very sight had more tears springing to her eyes. “I really did underestimate you, Link.”

He shook his head, biting back a sad smile. “Same, Princess.”

“I didn’t think about this possibility…”

“You did,” he mumbled. “We both did. We've talked about this happening: you marrying a royal for political reasons. We just never thought about what it really meant for us. But still, we both knew what mess we could be getting into every step of the way, and neither of us stopped it.”

“I didn’t want to,” she admitted. "I still don't."

“Me either,” he said, gripping her hand tighter. “But now we pay the price for it.”

Her body wracked forward and she let go of Link so she could catch her head as it fell. He watched her with a pained expression etched into his own face.

“I didn’t mean for _this_ to happen,” she whispered again. “I didn’t mean to… gods…I—I…”

Link knew what words were on her tongue. They were the same ones that floated through his head every time he was with her, banging off the walls of his brain like a song stuck in his head that he couldn’t sing out loud. He didn’t think words he wanted could hurt so much, and it was only far worse to see the same war raging inside Zelda. He felt his hand reach out for her, though he had to fight a physical battle with himself not to bring it around Zelda. He didn’t know if it would help or hurt. But, even now, he couldn’t just watch her cry in pain. So, he nudged her, and her eyes went up to his. His smile was small, sad, despite his attempt. He knew what words she couldn’t say. “I know you did.” The playful cockiness of the statement didn't quite come out as he'd intended, but Zelda understood his intent.

She choked out a sob that was holding a laugh somewhere inside it. “Don’t do that. Don’t make me smile right now.”

He stared at his hand, willing it to keep still. “And you… don’t say it. It won’t make it any easier to do what you need to if either of us says it.”

“But you… _know_?”

“Don’t you?” he said with the smallest smile, though it wasn’t without pain.

She took a deep breath and stood up, nodding. "I do. I wish you felt differently than me, Link. It would have saved you some heartache. I'm so sorry that I did this to you. Of the two of us, I'm the one who should have known better. I was raised knowing this."

He joined her, keeping a safe distance away. "I'm an adult too, Zelda. I might not have had the royal education you had, but I could see where this was leading. I just selfishly preferred to ignore it, and look what it did."

"I want nothing more than to be selfish, Link. I wish we could both be selfish," she whispered, closing her eyes and imagining herself as anyone else. Before she reached for the door, she turned back to him. “But I won't be used by them, not like this. I'll still do what I have to, but I’m not done fighting. Not so long as I breathe.”

His lips were tight together, but he forced them to move. “I would expect nothing less.”

“I still need you.”

He nodded, meeting her eyes with a fierce, sad, and determined expression. “And I’m still here. I’ve said it before: you’ll have to do better than that to get rid of me.”


	35. Chapter 35

The next morning, Seres had received confirmation from Viscen of the truth behind his statements. Zelda was to be married to Auru.

She knew that Zelda had gone to sleep with the faintest glimmer of hope that Viscen had been wrong, but Seres wasn’t looking forward to being the one to crush that hope for her. Still, that was her job. And she would do it with as much grace and tact as she could.

As much as she wanted to give Zelda her privacy after her rough night, Seres hesitantly knocked on the door and pushed it open to tell Zelda that her nightmares weren’t just in her mind, but her waking reality.

It was how they ended up spending the next four hours in the barracks, pouring over maps with the strategists.

Zelda was going to make sure her sacrifice was worth every troop she’d receive, even if it meant she never left the war-planning chambers again.

Zelda had taken Bardo and Leon as her guards to let Link sleep in, though they were _true_ guards, silent and forgotten by the door where they watched for threats. They didn’t participate in conversations or offer input on anything. It was actually quite disconcerting, Zelda realized, to have guards who were so inanimate. It was an unwelcome change from Link and Finn’s usual incessant chatter.

But she’s stared at the maps with those who were willing to help her learn.

She found out that there was no way Ganondorf would ever attack Damel, not with the city’s fortified walls or near-perfect territorial placement: the inability to sneak around to the rear for an all-around assault. No, Ganondorf would wait for them on his own home turf.

That phrase agitated Zelda; the castle was _her_ home. _Her_ turf.

Commander Ashei was the one who spent the most time making sure Zelda knew exactly what the maps meant, and why certain forces would attack, or where the best scouting spots were, which royals and kingdoms had the most troops and who would be amenable to potential alliances. And while everyone in the room was surprisingly helpful (and Zelda had learned it may be because they were almost all Hylians—her people, not Daltus’), Ashei was by far the most patient and the easiest to understand.

She laid out all of Daltus’ plans. And by ‘Daltus’, she learned that meant the delegates he’d sent to the strategists in his place. They seemed competent enough, especially when they would unabashedly cringe when they relayed a plan that was so imperfect it was clearly from Daltus himself. There weren’t many, but Ashei demonstrated to Zelda why they were so ineffective. As Zelda tried suggesting things, if only to show that she was trying to understand rather than believing her army would _actually_ use her tactics, Ashei would explain using the same logic, carefully laying out which of Zelda’s suggestions were smart ideas and which had more fallible aspects as well.

Though, the idea that was the most well-received was using Auru’s troops at all. Zelda was beyond surprised when she mentioned Auru’ army: none of the strategists had been informed of this plan or the increase in troops that they’d gain.

“Are you sure?” Ashei had asked, studying the map intently. “He’s bringing his troops? He has nearly _double_ our numbers. This changes everything. Princess, these are numbers we could win with, especially combined with the ones from King Zora.”

Zelda turned to Seres, who gave an affirmative nod. Viscen was sure, and so was Zelda. Zelda looked back at Ashei. “I believe my source is correct, though I haven’t spoken with the Prince yet today. If he tells me otherwise, I will immediately send word that you shouldn’t take his troops into consideration. If you don’t hear from me, you should assume these numbers are what we’ll work with.”

“Hrmm,” Ashei muttered, moving things around. “It would be our greatest advantage. It would be better if there was also support from Prince Midos or even Queen Ruelle as well. I suppose this means we should consider a few more strategies that incorporate more troops. Thank you, Princess.”

Zelda nodded. “I’ll see what more information I can get today.” She smiled weakly, hating what getting those troops meant, as she headed for the door.

“Princess!” Ashei called, moving to walk her out. “You’ll have to excuse my bluntness, but you’re doing very well… much better than… some people. You’re trying, and you’re a remarkably quick learner. Don’t let up.”

With another polite nod, Zelda pushed the door open and leaned on the railing that overlooked the training yard. There had to be about one hundred soldiers training. They seemed to be separated by the new recruits—who were still learning—and the older vets who honed their skills.

When she’d arrived earlier in the morning, there had been so few people that she could have seen each of their faces. Now, she watched some of them test each other in physical combat, whether with weapons, or without. She saw some running laps around the yard. Some were performing incredible feats, jumping over objects, moving from a lying position to jumping all in one motion, or pulling themselves up on bars. It was a melting pot of those who were doing everything to train for the upcoming fight.

“Seres?” Zelda said, motioning for the girl to join her. “Is that Finn?”

Ashei and Seres moved to the sides of Zelda and squinted. “Yes, I believe that it is.”

Zelda turned and watched Seres with interest as she watched Finn, and Zelda mentally tucked that one away.

She sighed, looking around, leaving Seres to stare at Finn in relative peace. “I used to go on the parapets and watch the soldiers train back before. Usually, I was alone. My sister would join me. Occasionally, I’d even have my father and his guards with me. When I went out to Hyrule Field, I felt like I knew them. Now, I’m feeling rather… detached.”

Ashei gestured to the field. “You’re free to go observe. They’re _your_ soldiers. If you want to see them spar on a plank over a pit of mud, they’d do it for you. Let me know if you’d like me to set up a demonstration.”

“That’s a bit much,” Zelda laughed, though she found her feet guiding her towards Finn, unsure if she was headed there for Seres’ sake, or because it was where she knew she at least had one person she trusted.

Ashei was on her tail as well, though at a respectable guarding distance. Unlike—

“Link?”

“Zel—Princess?” he said, not bothering to hide his surprise. He was repeatedly pulling himself up on one of the horizontal bars when he’d noticed her, so he let himself drop. His chest was heaving, and she had a good look at it without his shirt on. There was a fine sheen of sweat over him, beads dripping especially from his forehead.

They were mostly secluded, out of hearing range of the others, so she allowed herself a quick look over him, though she decidedly tried to keep her eyes off him after her one brief indulgence. He grinned his greeting and wiped the sweat off his palms, gesturing to the door she’d just left. “You’ve been in there a while.”

“You knew where I was?” she asked, trying to keep her eyes on his, though it was a losing battle for multiple reasons. Even with her knowledge of King Auru, she couldn’t pack her feelings for Link away overnight, and looking him in the eye caused a hard pang in her chest.

Of course, without being able to look him in the eye caused a new problem, as she couldn’t quite let herself look anywhere else. It wasn’t like she was about to deny that she found him more than attractive and here he was, his body basically taunting her, reminding her that she had nowhere she could focus her attention on him.

She tried to keep her eyes on the grass, but she’d never felt so awkward. She was used to looking at _people_ , not splotches of green that broke through dirt when she spoke. Giving up, she had to clasp her hands around her wrist behind her back to manage to look at his blue eyes, clenching her fist as she did.

Not that she would call it a ‘relief’, but she could see Link struggling with the same issue, unsure where to let his eyes rest and settling on hers with a pained glint, though he tried to force a look of distant familiarity with her, like old friends who weren’t quite in the same conversation with each other.

He nodded. “Finn said you had Bardo and Leon with you, so I decided to get some training in. When I got here, I heard the Princess was in a meeting with the commander and the other strategists.” He ran a hand through his hair, wiping the sweat off him as he did. Glancing at his hand, he made a face and wiped his hand clean again against his pant leg. His hands went to rest on his knees as he kept focusing on keeping his breathing steady.

“Are you okay?” Zelda asked, unsure what to make of him anymore. “I’ve never seen you so out of breath.”

A flirty retort died on his lips, and he opted for a more friendly tone. There was no possible way to shut her out completely, even if he wanted to. “While traveling with you, you spoiled me, Princess. I haven’t done any training this intense in months. Plus,” he looked up, glancing at the position of the sun, “I’m a few hours in.” He backed away from her with a pained expression that had nothing to do with him being out of breath, though he managed to get control of his face quickly.

“ _Hours_?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. She couldn’t even imagine pulling herself up to the bar one time, or doing most of the other exercises the soldiers were performing.

He smirked as he resumed his exercise. She was surprised that he had any air left in his burning lungs to talk to her. “I’m working off some… frustration.”

“Oh,” she said, nodding to herself, understanding. She turned and watched Finn make his way over, gesturing behind him at several other soldiers who’d all stopped their training to stare. She was glad there was someone else she could look at.

“Princess, what a surprise!”

Zelda nudged Seres discretely, urging her to speak. “Oh,” she muttered. “We were, um, in a meeting.”

“I just wanted to look around,” Zelda said, waving politely at the onlookers. “Perhaps say hello.”

Finn made a gesture that Zelda and Seres should follow, and Zelda jogged up beside him.

It was nearly time for dinner when she’d gone back inside. She’d spent _hours_ with the soldiers, hearing the stories of any who wanted to tell them. She’d heard horrifying tales, and stories of hope. There were those who’d escaped Castle Town, some who—like Finn—had been in the dungeons, and those who’d been in Hyrule Field. There was even one who’d been treated by her months ago.

Link and Finn had both been close by the entire time that she spoke with the other soldiers, though they kept their distance, letting her feel like she had some privacy from them. She saw Link emerge from the crowd a few hours in, clean and washed up. It was soon later that Finn followed and she realized they were swapping off between them.

Her day had been so ordinary, yet nothing about it seemed right. While she relished the opportunity to meet her soldiers more personally, she remembered the reason why she couldn’t look her own soldier in the face, even as he followed dutifully behind her. And that catalyst for the reason appeared in front of her as she made her way to the dining room, walking beside her with an annoyingly happy, smiling face.

“Dear cousin!” Daltus called. “It’s been ages since I saw you! How are you today?”

She took her seat without glancing at him and waited for the food in front of her to cool off a bit before finally speaking. “I spent the day with our soldiers.”

“Oh?” She could hear the surprise in his voice. There was a hint of alarm in it too. Her command over the majority of them had him nervous. “How were they?”

Zelda shrugged as she took a bite of her food and then a rather large sip of her wine. “Soldier-esq. I don’t know.” She didn’t want to engage in polite small talk with Daltus, and she hoped he got the hint.

“Well, that’s lovely” he managed, though it was forced and insincere, “I’m glad the soldiers mean so much to you that you’d spend time with them before our fateful battle with Ganondorf.” Zelda narrowed her eyes when Daltus spoke, and oddly, his attention was on Link where he stood by the door rather than on her. Daltus stared with barely concealed disdain for too long before turning back to her, and she felt goosebumps along her arm, unable to figure what was passing through Daltus’ mind as he looked at Link. But when his eyes rested on hers, they hardened into an entirely different look: excitement mixed with malice. “I have something I’d like to tell you, actually, while we’re speaking of soldiers. I’ve heard word from King Auru. Do you remember him?”

“I do,” she said stiffly, taking another swig of wine before holding her cup out for more. If she was going to listen to this, she was not going to do it stone-cold sober.

“Well, he has made us a great offer. He’d like to allow us the use of his army to aid in the defeat of Ganondorf.” He waited for her to respond, or ask for details, but she stared blankly at him, taking a much slower sip as she did, so he continued. “He would do this very generous act through marriage, of course. To you. You’d have full access to his army.”

Zelda took the glass again and met Daltus’ eyes. “Tell him I accept.”

“You… what?” Daltus asked, not expecting her answer. “I said you’d be _married_ to him.”

“Yes, I’m not deaf, Daltus,” she muttered. “It’s a good plan.”

“I worried you wouldn’t be… amenable, cousin.”

She set the empty glass down again. “It’s not news that I would marry politically. Did you want me to react differently?”

“N—no,” he stuttered, though his eyes screamed that he was hoping or a far more intense reaction. And again, she was surprised that they darted to Link before looking back at her. She scoffed, realizing that—if nothing else—he had an inkling of her romantic entanglement with her guard.

“Speaking of marriage,” she said, leaning forward to bring his attention off of Link, “I’m glad you brought it up. I heard through that Queen Ruelle is looking for a husband. Her army is quite vast. You should look into it.” She sucked in a breath, hoping some of the things she’d learned that morning about military numbers would have a very quick payoff.

He mimicked her, leaning forward across the table. “Hyrule is not _my_ kingdom, remember? It’s _yours_. You made that clear to me the other day. That means the sacrifice and honor should be yours as well.”

Zelda raised an eyebrow. His words stung, but she didn’t let up on him. “I’m shocked you would turn down the opportunity to _actually_ rule rather than play this game you do here. Ruelle is a queen. You don’t have to wait for your two healthy parents to die to take the throne. Besides, you mustn’t forget, you are still my heir. However, once I marry and have children, you will lower in the line of succession. Auru would be next. But that’s not today. If I should fall to Ganondorf, Hyrule _will_ be your responsibility, and you’ll lose my alliance if I’m unmarried by then.”

Daltus swirled his own drink around, grinning to himself as he watched the ripples. “I doubt you’ll remain unmarried for that long, cousin.”

She nodded slowly as his words sunk in. So, Auru planned to marry almost immediately. She wouldn’t even be surprised if it was his only reason for a visit here before marching on, and she slouched slightly. “I hear my _betrothed_ ,” she spat, “has more than double the forces we have. That will be useful, anyway.”

Snorting, Daltus finally looked back up at her. “No, no, his forces are about equal to ours.”

Zelda’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure?” She wondered if it was his own incompetence that had him messing up on such a large miscalculation.

“Positive. It was all in his letter. Our armies might even make up the greater number of the two.”

Zelda was dying to turn to Link, to the competent soldier in the room that she could ask to confirm or deny that, but she gripped the table to physically keep her focus on Daltus. Ashei had said it was double. Why wouldn’t she listen to the woman who spends her life _knowing_ this information? “May I see the letter?”

Daltus hummed, pushing his empty plate away. “It’s in my study. Come, let’s move in there anyway. This room is drafty.”

Zelda let out a deep breath and stared longingly at her empty glass of wine, wondering if she should just bring it with her. One look at Daltus, though, had her requesting a small bit more. Two half-glasses in and she could feel her head was slightly lighter than usual, but that buzz was what she needed. Well, she needed far more than a light buzz, but perhaps not at this moment.

“Here,” he said, holding the letter from Auru out to her.

She scanned it quickly but didn’t let go. It was an impersonal acceptance of marriage and a description of his military, the troops he’d offer in the exchange. And Daltus was correct. The number was actually _less_ than theirs was.

Shaking her head, she folded the letter and nervously flipped it around in her hand. “I’m not marrying him for these abysmal numbers. Write him back and tell him no, not unless there are more troops. Or tell him Prince Midos has made an offer of marriage and let him feel pressured into giving us more.”

“I cannot do that, cousin. He’s already on his way here.”

 _That_ had Zelda surprised. “How is that possible? I said yes in the dining room. Are you telling me you had someone _fly_ to him between then and now?”

But Daltus went quiet, instead moving to lean casually against the wall and to pretend he hadn’t heard her.

“Daltus!” Zelda balked, storming over to him. “What did you do?”

His smile was insincere, though there was joy in it. Joy for himself. “I know that you are a selfless young girl who would never deny her people their right to live, even for her own pride. I knew you’d do your royal responsibility to marry King Auru because it is the right thing to do. So, I sent your response ahead, accepting. I hoped it would bring him here faster.” His words sounded rehearsed, like he had already prepared a speech for her.

She gasped, her mouth dropping. “You did what?”

“What is the problem? You’ve accepted already, and now we can end this war sooner. Do your duty, Zelda. If I were the Prince of Hyrule, I would not hesitate, but I am not. Your people will think you don’t care for them if you complain about your duties as a royal Princess.”

Perhaps it was the wine. Perhaps it was just that she couldn’t stand to hear Daltus speak one more time, but she felt her hand jerk up, tossing the rest of her wine at him, too enraged to find humor in his mortified expression as he dripped red droplets off his chin.

“You belong in the lowest of the nine hells, Daltus.”

His eyes burned like fire as he closed the gap between them. “How dare you, you arrogant bitch!” he hissed as the back of his hand crashed against her cheek with a horrible retaliating smack.

Tears unwittingly sprung to her eyes as she gasped, her hand covering the spot she’d been hit.

But before she’d even had the chance to cover her cheek, someone was in front of her, gently pushing her back. It took her a second, but she realized that Link had Daltus pinned to the wall, his arm pressing hard into the Prince’s throat as he spewed an impressive string of hushed curses and threats in his direction leaving Daltus to listen in the his breathless silence.

As he did that, the guards in the room all drew their weapons. Zelda felt herself immediately press her back to Link’s, hoping that they weren’t willing to sacrifice her just to stab Link.

But as one of the guards held out his hand for her to take, to move her safely out of their way, she realized something. Their swords weren’t aimed at her or Link.

They were on Daltus.

“Link,” she muttered, tapping him with urgency. When he didn’t respond, she spun to his side, feeling safe enough for Link and herself that she could leave his back unguarded. “Link,” she tried again, her hand on his arm. “You can’t kill him. I can’t protect you if you do. He’s a Prince. Let him go.”

Link relaxed his arm, allowing Daltus to take a long, choked breath, though he didn’t move away. When Daltus’ pathetic eyes slid to Zelda, almost pleadingly, Link grabbed his collar and slammed him back into the wall. “She’s the only reason you’re not already dead.”

“Link, please,” Zelda whispered, lightly pulling his arm.

Glancing at her, Link stepped back and glanced at his hand, wet with the wine from Daltus’ soaked shirt, and shook it off, sending a droplet onto Daltus’ nose.

But something in Daltus snapped at the entire situation and he began to laugh hysterically. “Yes, call off your rabid lap dog! Heel, boy!” He cackled, _cackled_ , as he looked between Link and Zelda.

Her grip had tightened on his arm over Link’s tense muscles. Daltus’s eyes bored into that one spot where they connected, unable to control himself, like the wine or Link had opened a floodgate of defensive maneuvers. Daltus could never win a physical fight, but he knew exactly where to look to find a weak point in one’s armor, and as a royal, he’d been taught to use his words as his sharpest weapon. “Do you know how satisfying it is to know that your little peasant lover will be forced to stand guard outside your door on your wedding night and every night until you’re with child? That you will both suffer in that? That I am not the only one who loses here!”

Zelda felt physically sick and let go of Link, stepping back like she’d been hit again. Link turned to watch her carefully this time; he was more concerned for her than with Daltus, though she’d never seen Link look more dangerous than in that moment. She genuinely feared Link might kill the Prince.

“Link,” she whispered in a hush. “Please, just ignore him.”

And he heard the annoying hum of Daltus’ voice continuing his mad tirade, an endless onslaught against the two of them, though mostly aimed to provoke Link into acting in a way that could have him easily call for his death. Threats against Zelda, against Link, about things that Link already knew in his nightmares. Link could only keep Daltus’ words from reaching him by keeping his focus entirely on Zelda.

She could see his struggle, so she briefly turned her attention to the guards behind her, both of whom were unsure of what to do with this development, but waiting, tense, for Zelda to command them to act. However, when she did, it wasn’t quite what they expected.

“Please, would you both fetch Master Niko for me? Tell him it’s urgent, but tell him nothing else. Move quickly.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” one said, bowing before they both took off.

When they’d gone, Zelda grabbed Link’s hand in hers and held it tight, all notions of a wedding to some strange king forgotten. It was only her and Link. As evidenced by his incessant taunts, there was apparently no reason to pretend around Daltus. She let her hand rest against Link’s neck, feeling his racing pulse and letting her thumb run a light, calming pattern over his skin.

Link subconsciously leaned into her hand and he shook his head as he stared at the distinctive mark on her cheek. His free hand went to lightly brush her cheek where the skin was red. She flinched away, still feeling the sting too acutely, but held his hand tighter when she saw his gaze drift back to where Daltus heaved against the wall, out of breath from his tirade, but too afraid of Link to move a muscle other than his mouth. “Don’t,” she cautioned again. “Just look at me.”

Link practically growled as he looked away from Daltus. “I could absolutely kill him for that. I wouldn’t even regret being held down and beheaded for it.”

“No,” she said, her eyes also on her cousin. “I can do this without you dying. Just trust me, Link.”

His brows furrowed, unsure what she meant, but he nodded. “I trust you.”

They waited, doing everything in their power to let his constant string of words wash over them until the guards returned with Niko.

When he saw what was happening, he immediately began to shake nervously. “What’s happening? Daltus, are you alright?”

Zelda wasn’t entirely surprised to see Daltus’s entire expression change when Niko entered. She had Seres to thank for that information, and she wished it wasn’t what she needed to use, but it was. Zelda lightly pushed Link away from her, and he let her move him aside, though his eyes were pinned back on Daltus, daring the Prince to try and escape… to even move.

“Niko,” she asked gently. “Did you know about my marriage to King Auru?”

Niko looked around with relief. “Is that all this is about? Yes, I did. Prince Daltus was going to tell you today. I gather it didn’t go over well.”

“It went fine, actually,” she said, glancing over at Daltus for a moment, cautioning him to remain silent with her glare before taking Niko’s hand in hers, leading him into the center of the room. “I actually wanted to know something. I wanted to know if you liked living here? This house? This town? Or, perhaps, you’d prefer somewhere else, like the palace? Do you like it here?”

Zelda let him go. Niko was surprised by her question and began to walk toward Daltus instinctively. “I love my home. But if you are offering a position in the palace, I’d be honored. If not, my home is my pride and joy.”

“I can tell,” she said, picking up a golden vase. “Niko, you’re a loyal Hylian, correct?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“’Majesty,’” she repeated, putting the vase down to look fully at him. “You accept that I am the ruler of this kingdom, then? The things I say or do, you’ll abide by them without question?”

“Y-yes,” he looked around, confusion all over him. “What is this about?”

“Niko,” she said, as if he hadn’t spoken. Her eyes turned to Daltus, despite addressing Niko. “You are hereby stripped of your title and all your lands and properties. You will move into the barracks immediately to begin training to fight for Hyrule where I’m sure you’ll be honored to join the front lines with the rest of our soldiers who are willing to die for our kingdom. We need more people since it seems King Auru has refused to bring us his entire army or has lied about his numbers, and Daltus has already accepted his offer in my stead.”

“What?” Niko breathed. “No, no, Zelda, this is a mistake! I-I-I didn’t do anything!”

Her eyes shot back to his. “ _Princess_ , not Zelda. And it’s not a mistake. I’m afraid that Daltus has put us in a difficult position. You can thank him for this unfortunate turn of events.”

“Daltus?” Niko breathed.

“No!” Daltus hissed. “Don’t do this, cousin. Don’t. He’s not a fighter.”

Zelda moved closer to her cousin until she was a breadth away from him. “I could recant.”

“What do you want for it?” Daltus said, pleadingly.

“Unquestioning respect. Loyalty.”

“Done.”

But she wasn’t. “You never touch me, you never look at Link. I’m taking some of Niko’s household for myself. Your army is a part of _mine_. There is no separation between them until this is all over and either we’ve won, or Hyrule is yours through my death. Until either of those options occurs, your troops are all a part of the Hylian army where they answer to my command, not yours.”

Daltus nodded, but his thoughts seemed stuck on her threat to Niko. “Why are you doing this to him? It was _my_ offense, not his!” Daltus tried, glancing between her and Niko frantically.

She turned to Link for a moment, watching his brows furrow as he watched Niko’s panic. Then, she turned back to Daltus and lowered her voice. “Because, I know what someone would do for the one they love. I know the lengths that you’d be willing to go, even if you can’t always reach them.

“I still need you, Daltus, and you can’t turn back without losing your people now, so we’re stuck in this with each other. Let’s stay out of each other’s way unless we are forced together. Can you handle that?”

“Yes, just… don’t send him out there to die. _Please_.”

Zelda let out a breath, finally stepping away from him. “Then it’s settled. Niko,” she said, turning to him. “You may remain here, and you don’t have to fight, though I believe you still should, I will not force you into service.”

“Thank you,” Daltus breathed.

But she took another step towards him, narrowing her eyes. “You know very little about me, cousin. I would never actually do that to Niko just because you insulted me. That’s the difference between you and me. I _know_ what it’s like to lose those you love. And I know you love Niko. I would _never_ hurt someone just to get to someone else. Ganondorf did that to my entire family. If you cross me again though, I will because now you know that’s treason, not some sad attempt to rile me or Link. If you knew me, that would have been obvious.” His eyes darted to Link, easily catching the double meaning in her words; she wasn’t just talking about her family. But she moved to block his view. “You don’t look at him, remember? Not after the things you’ve said. Take _Master_ Niko and get out of my sight. I’ll see you tomorrow so we can discuss King Auru and any remaining options we might have. That army size is not negotiable. We get more troops or I walk, and I don’t care what you promised him. I won’t send Niko to die, Daltus, but I have no problem casting him out of this place without a title or anything to his name. You are going to help me fix this. We are getting his troops.”

“Yes, cousin,” Daltus muttered weakly as he grabbed Niko and hurried out the door without a look back.

Zelda turned her attention back to the guards. “Would you please follow them to their destination? Make sure they… don’t send an assassin after me or something?”

One smiled slightly at her, “Of course, Your Majesty. You’re safe, trust us.”

“Thank you. And thank you for defending me back there.”

They both bowed and left the room, leaving Link alone with Zelda.

Neither said anything for a long time, settled in the silence that passed between them.

Finally, she let out a breath. “I’m sorry to do this after yesterday, but Link, you’re staying with me tonight. I hate to admit it, but I’m nervous about retaliation.”

His hand shook as he brought it up to her face again, though he rested it on the other cheek, unable to stop himself, unable to look away from the red mark on the other side again. “Of course.”

She leaned into his hand and brought her own up to grab his. “He shouldn’t have said any of that. You’re none of those things he called you, Link.”

He shrugged. “I’m a few of them. I _am_ pretty poor.”

She breathed out a laugh, but shook her head as she felt the tell-tale sign behind her nose that warned tears might fall. “No, you’re not. When we win, I’ll give you a lot of rupees so you can’t even say that anymore.”

Link’s thumb brushed her skin. “I don’t want rupees.”

His words constricted her chest, though she couldn’t move away from the slow rhythm of his thumb against her cheek, mimicking her earlier gesture. Zelda wiped away the few tears that ended up falling, deciding to change the subject. “It reminded me of Ganondorf. I haven’t been hurt that way since we were his prisoners. It seems like it was years ago sometimes.”

Nodding, Link glanced back where Niko had been standing, then to where Daltus had been. She watched his eyes darting around, wishing she could ask him what he was thinking, but not trusting her own voice.

Link bent his head down and Zelda and felt his lips brush so lightly over her red cheek that she wasn’t even sure if he’d actually touched her skin.

“If anyone ever touches you again, King, Prince, assassin, anyone… I don’t think I could let them walk away like Daltus just did.”

“Link,” she whispered, knowing she needed to back away but feeling too safe in his closeness. “We’re a team. If you do something brash… I lose my partner, my guard, my friend. I can’t lose you again, not in any other way than I already have.”

Nodding, Link did the only thing he knew he could safely do. He wrapped her into his arms into a tight embrace and felt her arms pull him close. Because, gods, he loved her, and this was the only way he could pretend that there weren’t tears in her eyes, or a mark on her face.

Something was wrong, and not just the obvious. Daltus was up to something. Link had seen it in his every move and Link felt that Niko was the only way he’d figure out what was happening. And until he knew what it was, Zelda wasn’t safe. Her arms were the only things that kept him from doing anything reckless. And he needed that more than he realized.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn't already hate Daltus, here is the chapter where it probably happened! I honestly had to tone him down and start insinuating what he was saying instead! But you know, we're all here for the anti-Daltus train, so it probably was for the best that he wasn't quite as bad as I initially had him here.


	36. Chapter 36

Unable to sleep, Link had woken up before the sun had even risen, leaving the chair he’d slept in while in Zelda’s room to pace the hallway. Bardo and Leon, Zelda’s two favorite guards besides Link and Finn, watched him pace.

“Is the Princess okay?” Leon asked, genuine concern on his face.

Link nodded once, though he couldn’t stop moving…. much like Zelda, who had been restless and fitful all night, moving her loud silk sheets with every turn she made. It had taken everything he had to stay seated at a respectable distance, determined not to comfort her as he normally would have. Auru was coming shortly, and Link knew that, for both their sakes, she couldn’t wake up in Link’s arms again. It would only do more harm than good.

“Link,” Bardo said, grabbing him to stop Link’s incessant back-and-forth. “We’ll watch out for her. You’re not even scheduled to be on guard today, so go. Sleep or take a walk or something. We’ll be here when you come back.”

Of all the guards, he’d learned to trust Finn first, and then Bardo and Leon. So he nodded and headed to the barracks to find Finn, needing to reason everything out with someone he trusted.

“You really think there’s something weird going on, don’t you?” Finn asked once Link had filled him in. Link had all but pulled Finn from his bunk. Finn glanced to where Link sat on top of the table in the barracks’ main hall, his leg bouncing at high speeds.

His fists were balled up by his mouth and he rested on them, nodding slowly. “Don’t you? Auru doesn’t give her the right amount of troops but he’s already on his way to help end this war? You need soldiers to win a war, and now, we won’t have enough because he’s cut his number in half. How does any of that make sense? He can’t _want_ to die. This is a stupid way to do it if he does.”

Finn leaned back against the wood, staring at the ceiling. “I don’t know. I’m no strategist or a king. I’m just a soldier. I do what I’m told. If someone tells me we have half the troops, we have half the troops. We deal with it.”

“Yeah,” Link agreed, “That’s how I’m supposed to think too, isn’t it? But when it’s about her, I just can’t.”

Finn snorted. “You don’t think _at all_ around her, apparently. Almost killing a prince? Smart.”

“Shut up,” Link grumbled. “I don’t know. Maybe I am over thinking it.”

“Or, maybe you’re thinking it just enough…” Finn scrunched his face up, unsure if his phrase had come out right.

Link nodded. “Remember Kayne?” He looked at the scar on his palm, evidence of that day. “He took all of us out from the inside. We didn’t even suspect him because he was one of us. And I’m only here because he had a moment of weakness, thankfully, and decided not to kill me too. I can’t let that happen again, especially not to her.”

“So you think it’s Auru who’s the secret problem? That Daltus is working with the King?”

“I don’t know. I think it’s odd that he’s hiding half his troops from her. But Daltus seemed genuine when he talked about their numbers. I saw the letter.”

“Okay, then you want to…”

Link shrugged. “I’m not scheduled to guard Zelda today. How about we get ourselves into some trouble again?”

“Oh, Link,” Finn chuckled. “You want to break into another brothel?”

Link laughed heartily, not realizing he still had that kind of joy in him. “Gods no, don’t remind me about that. That was the weirdest mistake we ever made. I’m never going to tail someone again.”

“Remember when Commander Farosh saw us?”

“My eyes are still burning. I’m still surprised we both kept our jobs.”

Finn pinched his nose as he laughed. “When even was that? Five years now?”

“Maybe? I don’t know, sometimes it all blurs together,” he chuckled. “No, I was thinking of trying to talk to Niko.”

Finn scoffed. “You’re not subtle enough for that. The man’s probably afraid of you. We could just look around. We did that with uh… what was her name? The red head who smuggled out half of our weapons?”

Link stood, heading back to the house from the barracks with Finn in tow. “Oh… Knuckles, right?”

“Yes! Knuckles! We found half the shit just by poking around where we didn’t belong.”

Spinning to face Finn as he spoke, Link made a face. “You know, when I wasn’t hanging around you, I actually followed the rules. You’re a bad influence on me.”

“Me? You’re the one who first roped me into that suicidal mission in Hebra. Damn near froze to death trying to find that traitor.”

“I was actually sent on that one. I was following orders all the way until we fell off that ledge into the ice. You were the one stupid enough to say yes when I asked you to come.”

“That was sanctioned? They wanted us dead then.”

Link snorted. “That might be the first time I thought we were genuinely going to be killed. Now look at us. It happens all the time. It’s like a hobby.”

Finn led the way down a long corridor that Link already recognized as leading straight to Niko’s room. Finn tapped the walls as he walked, energized with the thought of doing something other than guard duties. “No wonder this is fun.”

They strode up to his room, expecting nothing less than guards to be posted at the doors. Link casually gestured to them. “Is Master Niko in there? I have a message from Princess Zelda.”

One of the guards shook her head. “He’s not in there.”

Link nodded once and turned around. If he pressed the guards here, he’d never get anywhere else. “Okay, thanks. I’ll find him later then. It’s not urgent.”

Her head gave a stiff nod as she went back to staring at the wall in front of her.

Link headed back around the corner and slid into the room beside Niko’s, a large, unnecessarily large lounge area with a writing desk. Hesitating, Link decided _that_ was worth a look.

As he rifled through the papers, Finn kept an eye on the door. “You know, the more I remember the brothel incident, the more I remember that we’re soldiers, not spies. We did our best work with swords, and our worst with snooping. We should get Viscen with us. At least he’s a professional.”

“Not a bad idea. Why did I let you drag me here first?” Link muttered, folding a blank paper and sliding it into his pocket as he continued to shuffle through things. He hummed to himself as he checked every piece of paper on the desk, but all he had was his one blank page. Besides, they didn’t know what else they were looking for. “Let’s go find him then.”

For the first time in what felt like ages, Link left the building to go into town with Finn on his heels, heading to the local clinic, to Shad’s. It wasn’t a long walk, and as they pushed the door open, they were met by Viscen lying across several chairs, turning his head at the sound of the door.

“Ah,” he muttered, closing his eyes. “You look determined. What’s happened?”

“Did you hear anything about last night?” Link asked.

Viscen smirked. “The very loud fight that half of Niko’s servants could hear? No. You should tell me. But in here,” he said, rolling off the chairs to lead them into a room to see patients, switching the color on the door to red so they wouldn’t be disturbed.

“So then you did hear.” Finn asked, taking a seat.

Viscen stood, leaning casually against the wall, looking more like he’d fallen asleep again. “Tell me anyway. Perhaps I heard wrong.”

Link sat beside Finn. “Daltus hit her so I stepped in…”

“As a soldier, that is your duty,” Viscen interrupted. “As a man in love, perhaps it is impulsive to choke royalty, but I can see the appeal.”

Link leaned back and clapped his legs. “Okay, so I don’t have to tell you.”

Viscen quietly laughed to himself. “No denial? Have you perhaps spoken with the Princess about your feelings?”

Nothing Viscen asked ever seemed like a _real_ question, but rather something he already knew the answer to. At Link’s exasperated scowl, Viscen waved his hand. “Forgive me, continue with what happened. I would like to hear another account.”

Rolling his eyes and ignoring Finn’s all-too interested stare, Link continued. “Zelda threatened Daltus by threatening Niko.”

Link wasn’t sure if Viscen had an actual problem letting others speak, or if he simply enjoyed cutting Link off.

“Yes, and Daltus surrendered his fragile pride to save the master of the house. How odd, don’t you think? To give up pieces of oneself for love?”

“Are you _actually_ asking me this?”

“No,” Viscen chuckled. “You strike me as a man who enjoys the ease of following orders. You’ve begun to give them, since being with the Princess, but it doesn’t come naturally to you. So, I imagine running around trying to gather intelligence is not your usual wheelhouse either which is why you’re here. So, show me that paper in your back pocket. What is it?”

“You got all that from the paper?” Link hook his head in disbelief and handed the paper over. “Blank, but I was hoping you could read it better than I could.”

Viscen’s eyes widened in genuine surprise. “Now this is something a spymaster would notice. You surprise and impress me, soldier. How did you know to look for this? Fetch me ink from that desk.”

Finn hovered over Viscen’s shoulder, confused as he stared at the empty page, though Link set the writing materials down for Viscen.

The older man tilted the paper, squinting, as he began to write words.

“My mother,” Link answered finally. “I used to sketch out armor and then burn the pages so she wouldn’t find it, but she still knew. I got in trouble for ruining two pages every time, so I learned to always take the top page off a stack.”

Finn bent to match Viscen’s angle and finally, he understood. “You can see the indents from the words on the page above.”

“Mhmm,” Viscen muttered as he continued to tilt the paper into the light at different angles to get a read on the words. “Given the contents and the weight, this is Niko’s, I’d imagine. I can’t get all of it, but I can get most. It is fortunate Niko seems to write with a fairly heavy hand once he gets going, unlike the Princess and Prince, who are taught to hold their utensils with a grip so light that it could be taken from their hand mid stroke. Did you know that?”

“I didn’t,” Link said, leaning against the table, reading what Viscen could make out.

“Try it sometime. I did it to her father once. I imagine it would go over better for you than it did to me.” He moved the paper so the others could see as he wrote.

_…Auru… troops… to the Princess Zelda… arrival and… but upon hearing the news of the recent… has become a problem. Prince Daltus would… though I cannot say how he will react to that specific piece… information. I shall inform him… which… last letter. She will expect your troops immediately. Please send numbers… Daltus… know. Niko._

Viscen kept turning the paper and began to draw out a symbol. “This was also pressed in, likely a stamped down seal, since there is more force. It’s Daltus’ family’s seal. Niko was using it.”

“So Daltus was the one who instructed him to do this?” Link asked.

Naturally, that was too simple for Viscen to answer like a normal person. “Let’s ask a different question. Is Daltus a fool? No, don’t answer that. You’d say yes, but he is not. Not really. He knows what games he plays. So, Daltus realized he is in danger and reached out to Auru, this we already know. But why involve a lowly noble in a game between kings?”

“Not a king,” Link grumbled, only to receive a sharp look for breaking Viscen from his thoughts.

“No, but this is a king’s game, and they are trying to ensnare a queen into an unwinnable position. She would have to position herself with the lesser of two evils. But Niko does not make sense. Let’s think on this from another angle.” He turned. “Link, you nearly killed a royal, thus earning a beheading that would have devastated Zelda. Why did you do that?”

“Why are we talking about this again?” Viscen waited, and Link sighed. “He hit her.”

“That’s not why. _Why_ did you attack him?”

“I…” Link stuttered, unsure what he was looking for.

Viscen waved it off. “Fine, change the angle: my brother said that you were stabbed three times by some man named Reese, who—interestingly enough, since Shad asked me to look into his death—is _not_ dead. He was saved by a king who sent men to retrieve him.”

“Ganondorf?”

Viscen shrugged. “Likely, though unverified. But a matter for another day. You took a knife for her. Why? And spare me the response that ‘she’s the princess and I’m a soldier’ that you’re about to give me. We both know better than that.”

Link threw his hands up. “Well then why are you asking?”

“Do you want to protect her?”

“Do you answer every question with another question?” Link groaned and accidently slammed his head back against the wall in the process. “Is the answer you’re looking for that I did it because I’m in love with her?”

“Not quite,” Viscen said with a smirk. “More than that.”

Glancing at Finn first with a mildly embarrassed look, he returned his gaze to Viscen. “I didn’t know there was more than that.”

“You do. You didn’t want her to die, correct?”

“Does this have to do with Daltus and Niko?” Link managed, hoping to end the interrogation that made no sense to him.

“Hush. Questions beget answers,” Viscen said, his eyes lighting up. “Yes, it does. You spared her life, taking the potential punishment of death for yourself. As a soldier, you would be trained to do that almost naturally. You believe you are a pawn because that is what you were taught. Add love into that, and you have a soldier willing to do whatever to protect the one he loves.”

“Please skip to how this is about Daltus.” Link’s face was not only red, but hearing the words spoken over and over when he knew he could never say them to _her_ sent sharp jabs through his chest. To Viscen, it was just an observable fact. To Link, it was a painful reminder.

“Patience is wasted on an older man,” Viscen scoffed. “Think now to what transpired in that room yesterday. Daltus was attacked, in his mind, by our Princess. You, her… what did I hear… ‘rabid lap dog’ he called you, right?... came to her defense and nearly killed him. That, understandably, made him angry and he retaliated. This is a real fight in many ways, is it not? Anger leads to action? Well, our Princess wields no swords, but she was trained in the art of verbal swordplay, as was Daltus. She brought in Niko. Do you see where this is going yet, or shall I continue?”

Link glanced at Finn, who silently shrugged. With a sigh of frustration, Link shook his head. “No, I don’t.”

“Understandable. You are still learning to look at the world through different eyes, not just ones of a soldier. But here is where my comparison to you comes in. You were unwilling to let her die because of your love for her. Because of that, your instincts and training kicked in, and you acted by sacrificing yourself. Did the Princess not threaten Niko’s life? I heard she offered to put him on the front lines… a man with no training is as good as dead there. Daltus was unwilling to let him die because of his love for him. Because of that, his instincts and training kicked in, and he acted by sacrificing himself. A noble is punishable, but a royal is not. Daltus knows this.”

“Are you trying to say that we should feel bad for Daltus because he was only protecting Niko?” Link spat.

“No, I would never willingly defend anyone who harms our Princess, but I believe we are limiting ourselves and potentially risking her life by believing Daltus is entirely at fault and ignoring other possibilities.” Viscen tapped the paper. “Are these the words of Daltus or Niko? We are clear from this sentence—' _Prince_ _Daltus would… though I cannot say how he will react to that specific piece… information’—_ that it is Niko’s words. Niko is going to _tell_ Daltus something. Does that strike you as odd? We have been operating under the assumption that Daltus is the sole threat to the Princess, but what if he’s not? What if he’s the shield protecting someone else? What if his involvement is partnered with another, or what if he has no participation at all? Has our Princess ever done something for you, Link? Has she ever thrown herself in harms way for you, literally or figuratively? Because I knew her once, and I think I know her now. She doesn’t kill innocent people. And right now, she believes Niko to be an innocent. She did threaten his life, and indirectly, it was because she was protecting you, Link.”

Link could feel her pressed up against his back, hearing the sounds of swords being drawn. “You think Niko is the puppet master of Daltus, and that Daltus has been protecting Niko?”

Viscen shrugged. “It is a possibility. Another is that they are working together. Another is that Daltus knows nothing but reacted anyway. Another is that Auru is a threat, but neither Daltus or Niko are. Another is that there is no threat, and we are all feeling very on edge for our Princess’ sake. There are some of these options that would explain this note and even the conversation that you heard with her the other day,” he said, addressing Finn.

Closing his eyes, Finn repeated the words as best he could: “ _’Have him come quickly. Tell him it’s Prince Daltus’ request. We spoke earlier so he is aware. At least we’ll have his soldiers_.’”

Viscen looked like the answer was in front of him, so obvious. “And we have a mention of soldiers again. That is three times from Niko. ‘Soldiers.’ Does that mean anything to you?”

Nodding slowly, Link pushed himself off the desk with renewed energy. “Auru is only sending half his soldiers to Zelda.”

“Why?”

“Are _you_ asking _me_?”

Viscen chuckled and folded the papers. “When I can think of no more answers, I go find some questions. I believe I should go to Auru’s encampment and see what is happening. However, Link, I believe you should join.”

“Me? Why me?”

“This stays between the three of us. Royals command power, and if we make a mistake, every one of us… the Princess included, pays the price. She is dealing with two royals and a noble. She can’t afford a misstep to protect us. Now, I don’t believe I can pass for a soldier,” he mused, gesturing to his bony frame, “but if there is something amiss, that’s where I would want to be. And, while I don’t doubt your loyalty, Finn, we know which of you two would go the extra step to protect the Princess.”

“I do that here, by her side,” Link scoffed. “What if something happens to her here and I’m gone?”

Viscen looked pointedly at Finn. “There are other soldiers. Use your new senses. You work for a Princess, as close to her as you can be. Though you may not realize it, you have authority. It’s time to use it. Have her guarded by those you trust so you both feel safe in your departure. You have reasons beyond loyalty to protect her. Auru is nearly here, and we would work fast. We’d be back within the week, it seems, if he’s close.”

Link sighed, considering Viscen’s words. “So, you want me to go with you to Auru’s camp, pretend to be his soldier, and look for… _something_. Even though we don’t know what we’re looking for?”

Viscen shrugged, unable to put it more eloquently. “My job is not to spread gossip to the Princess. I gain information, and also act to stop things before they can reach her. If the Princess is in danger, it starts with Auru’s arrival. Niko and Daltus no longer have command here. She took that from them. They will wait for Auru’s arrival to act, I can almost guarantee you that. We find proof: letters, word of mouth, evidence. We figure out if Daltus is complicit. Perhaps most importantly, we find half an army that is apparently missing, despite being needed to win this war.”

“Tall order for two guys,” Finn muttered. “But I’ll stay with the Princess. I won’t let anything happen to her, and I’ll keep watch here at home.”

Viscen nodded. “I will get word to you when we are close. You will need to keep anything we gather safe. The Princess will know what to do with it all, if we find anything.”

Link bit his cheek, conflicted.

But Viscen crossed the room to stand in front of him, the most serious look in his eyes. “Your presence hurts her resolve. You should give her space to accept her decision. I believe you know… it’s your turn to sacrifice.”

Link let out a harsh breath. “Yeah, I know.”

Viscen nodded. “I’ll leave this evening. If you wish to join, I’ll be out here until dusk, but then I leave with or without you.”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Link scoffed. “I guess I’m going to find her missing army. I need to go fill Commander Ashei in about the numbers so they can plan for the worst case and then let Zelda know about our little trip. I’ll keep the details light just in case we’re wrong. Finn? Tell her if she asks for details; she deserves to know. But you’ll be with her? She trusts Bardo and Leon, but I trust you more, so please, be with her more.”

“Of course, Link,” Finn said.

“Oh,” Link said, stopping himself before he went for the door. “Play a round of three heart shuffle with her. I couldn’t beat her last time, but I told her I let her win. She told me she wanted to play against you and Seres instead because she’s sick of me cheating in games.”

“I’ll do that.”

Finn laughed as he watched Link turn for the barracks again, but he couldn’t help but realize the undertones in Link’s voice and he felt an incredible pang of sadness for both his friend and the Princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just have to admit that this entire chapter was originally a three paragraph addition with Viscen to the next chapter, and then it spontaneously exploded into the mini adventures of Link and Finn and I support it.


	37. Chapter 37

Link headed up the long, winding stairway, tired, both physically and mentally. He was coming from Commander Ashei’s war room where he’d given her all the information they’d learned last night from the fight with Daltus. Link was grateful that he’d woken up at such an ungodly hour to meet with Finn and Viscen. The meeting with Ashei lasted hours, but it was still before noon thanks to his early start. Now, he just had to go let Zelda know what was happening. And he dreaded it.

When he got to his room to change into something more befitting travel so he could leave quickly, he noticed that her guards Bardo and Leon were still at her door, odd, since they would have followed her out and been replaced.

“She in there still?” Link asked.

It was Leon who nodded, looking tired. “Yes, she hasn’t left yet.”

“Anyone been in?”

“Seres, and she hasn’t left.”

Zelda was normally awake and already wandering around the house finding things to accomplish by this time. Link made a face and rapped lightly on the door. It opened on its own, evidence of someone hastily and ineffectually closing it. When he looked through the crack, the room was completely dark, curtains still drawn shut to keep the sun out.

Pushing the door open further, he squinted into the darkness, noticing a figure sitting up on Zelda’s bed.

“Seres?” he asked, sliding into the room to close the door most of the way.

Zelda’s head was in Seres’ lap, and Seres looked tired as well, stroking the Princess’ hair absently, though her attention whipped to Link upon his entrance. “Master Link?”

“Is she okay?” he asked, looking at her unusual pose.

Seres shrugged. “She’s… she told me she’s been having nightmares for several nights now. It seems last night had a particularly bad effect. When I came in, she was tossing about, and muttering. She said her family’s names, Ganondorf’s… she called for you.” Link winced, and Seres resumed her soothing gesture through Zelda’s hair. “I’m sorry.”

Link shook his head dismissively and stood over Zelda, glad to see that she looked fairly peaceful, despite the slight pinch in her brow that concerned him.

“You stayed last night. Was she like this?”

“She didn’t sleep well, no.”

“When I came in, it certainly didn’t seem like she had.”

Without any control over himself, his hand reached out and brushed a small piece of hair from her face, his fingers gliding lightly over her skin. He pulled away, stretching his fingers out as the touch lingered. _This_ was why his chair was on the other side of the room. To avoid him doing _this._ She didn’t stir, but he didn’t expect her too. He wished he could be more like her, sleeping through everything short of a stampede. It’s why he barely lowered his voice when he addressed Seres again.

“Are you going to stay with her?”

Seres looked between them, a sadness in her eyes. “If you’d rather, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”

His head shook slowly and looked at his hand. “I think that would do more harm than good. I need to talk to her, but it can wait. Can you just let her know when she wakes up? I’ll be in my room on my balcony for a while.”

“I’ll tell her, Master Link.”

He let out a breath and turned to go, seeing the letter from King Auru on a small table. He ran his hand over it before picking it up, examining it closely. He turned back to Seres. “Would you tell her I have this, too? I just want to look at it in the light. There’s something bothering me.”

Seres raised her eyebrows. “Just one thing, Link?”

Link turned to her with a surprised grin. Of course she knew, but she’d never been so bold as to address either of them about it, or at least not him, nor had she ever called him just by his name. He tapped the letter on the table and snorted, nodding his head in a silent admission as he slipped out the door and into his own room.

In the light, he could get a better look at the note, written in a much different handwriting than the signature of King Auru at the bottom. But that wasn’t what he’d been interested in. Many royals dictated their letters. He wanted a closer look at the broken seal, the symbol of King Auru that he was positive he’d seen before.

He’d never even been close to Auru’s kingdom. He’d never seen any of his soldiers. He couldn’t think of what their main trade items were, or even how long a journey it would be to get there. But he knew that symbol from somewhere. He absently got his things together, thinking the whole time of what he might expect of Auru’s camp with Viscen.

Ducking through his window, he let himself lay against the railing on the small balcony and close his eyes, trying to get some semblance of rest before he left later. The sun warmed his face just enough where it was comfortable, and the breeze rustled his hair. It brough back memories of another time. However, the longer he stayed there, the only thing he could end up seeing was that royal symbol as his brain replayed thousands of memories just to try to figure out where it was from.

He saw himself as a child, walking into the barracks for the first time, awed by—what he thought at that time—the most grand building he’d ever been in. A large hall with tables and mulling soldiers, hallways that led to weapon and armor stores, rooms filled with bunks, and a room designated specifically for eating in. It was nothing like he’d ever experienced.

The royal symbol—the Triforce with an elaborate wing-like design behind it—had been displayed on every banner, etched into every piece of armor, worn on every cloak, woven into the edges of the more expensive blankets. There was no way he’d seen this symbol back home.

He thought of the battles he’d been in, the barracks he’d slept in, the garrisons he’d lived in. None of them had Auru’s symbol anywhere. He thought of the prisoners he’d seen walk past his cell, the people who’d passed by him in town, and the soldiers he’d fought beside.

And he… he knew where he’d seen it before.

It sent a harsh chill through him, bringing him close to nausea at the possibilities it implied.

“Link?” Zelda said, leaning out her window to look for him.

Her voice temporarily broke him from his thoughts, and he sat up so she could see that he was still out there. He looked at the sun. A decent amount of time had passed while he’d been rummaging through his thoughts, but not too much.

When she saw him, she carefully stepped onto the balcony, tugging her light robe closer to her in the breeze. He could see that she’d literally just woken up, her hair smoothed back only by a hand, not a brush, her eyes still half closed and sensitive to the light. Just looking at her had him fighting a soft smile. She didn’t have to do anything to completely entrance him.

“Seres said you had something to tell me?”

He leaned heavily on the railing, nodding. “How much do you trust me?”

She scoffed, her disgust reading so clearly. “That’s a stupid question that I’ve already answered before. I trust you more than anyone.”

His smile was sad, her words biting him at the kind intonation behind them. “Okay, okay. I… I’m leaving for a few days.”

“What?”

“I have to.”

She balked and turned back to the window.

“Wait, where are you going?” he called, still needing to say more.

“I’m coming over there to talk.”

“No, don’t,” he hissed, stepping up onto the railing and then the ledge.

“Oh gods,” Zelda muttered as she watched him, her hands hovering nervously in his direction as he slid across, taking an easy step onto the railing on her side before hopping down. Zelda bit her lip and smacked his chest with more force than she’d intended. “You can’t keep doing that! You’re going to fall.”

“Admittedly, that would make things easier for us,” he muttered. He watched her mouth gape open and caught her hand as it went to swipe his arm. He pulled her hand against his chest, a reflex from older days. “I’m sorry. That was in poor taste.”

She groaned and closed her eyes, letting her hand feel his steady heart beneath it. “You’re leaving? I… is this because of King Auru coming in a few days?”

He shook his head, catching a glimpse of Seres watching them from inside. She motioned with her hand that Link should move closer, and he rolled his eyes, ignoring her.

“No. I swear, that’s not why. I’m coming back. I just… I need to follow something up, something important. I’m going with Viscen, actually.”

“What are you following?”

He pulled her letter from his pocket and gave it back to her. “Here, I took this, but you might want to keep it around. Viscen, Finn, and I think we might have an issue, so Viscen and I are going to fix it before it gets out of hand. It’s for you, so I’m not going off on some strange adventure to King Zora to avoid Auru or anything. I talked talk to Finn. He’s going to be extra cautious.”

Zelda lowered her voice. “Could you send Finn in your place? I’m about to be cornered by the worst people. I want _you_ with me.”

He bit his lip, shaking his head as he fought the instinct within himself to agree with her wishes. “I can’t. I have to do this. And… you know I shouldn’t be with you right now.” He debated his next words, choosing them with extreme care, especially after seeing her this morning. “Zelda… if we’re right… just… stay safe, okay? You already know that, but Auru, or some of his people… they’re not trustworthy. When he shows up, you have to be on guard. You keep that knife on you at all times, okay?”

She crossed her arms against the breeze and nodded. “I was already planning to assume that they weren’t safe. But okay, that’s all very comforting. I will keep my knife with me.”

They stared at each other for some time, unable to bring themselves to leave.

“Since we met, we’ve never spent ‘days’ apart. The most we’ve ever had apart was in Saria, and that was _one_ completely full day,” Zelda noted, turning to look over the balcony, her back to Link.

He leaned against the building, watching her. “I know. Does it feel weird to you? Or is that just me?”

Zelda rubbed her eyes and turned back to him. “Yes. It does. And…” she hesitated. “I miss you and you haven’t even left. Is that normal? I can’t even picture what my days will be like without running into you. I don’t know if I’m crazy or just used to you being around.”

Link’s chest hurt as he watched her expression. Unable to stop himself—again—he found himself crossing the distance between them his hands on her waist, just holding her, keeping his hands as still as he could. “If you’re crazy, I’m crazy.”

She tried to smile. “I’m not sure if that’s a comfort or not.”

“Do me one favor, Zelda: don’t get married without me.”

“Link,” Zelda chuckled, unable to resist the urge to tease him like she normally could. “What a romantic proposal.”

“I…” he chuckled, a genuine, humorous expression on his face. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I know,” she laughed. But it faded. “I know.”

He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. Zelda grabbed his hands, and she threaded her fingers between his. Neither moved for the longest time, as if they were trying to burn the feeling of the other into their brains before letting go, possibly for the last time, if Auru arrived before Link’s return to her.

“I have to go,” he whispered finally.

He felt her nod, but she didn’t let go of him.

“Zelda…”

“I know. Sorry.” She backed away, stretching her fingers at the loss of him. “Find me when you come back.”

One foot was already on the ledge as he looked back at her. “Obviously.”

She watched him leave her through his window, but she couldn’t find the will to move. It wasn’t until Seres peaked her head out that Zelda even remembered that other people existed, and it was enough to spur her to move again, sliding through her window to get ready for her day.

“Princess,” Seres said, grabbing her arm to pause Zelda’s aimless fiddling with her things. “He’ll be okay.”

Zelda didn’t even bother to question if she’d been listening in. Of course she had.

“I know,” she said, though it was unconvincing.

Seres laid out Zelda’s things for the day silently, only speaking again when Zelda looked a bit less exhausted. “What’s our next step? How else can we work to stop this wedding?”

“We can’t.” Zelda put down the hairbrush that she’d found in her hand and leaned back against her vanity to look squarely at Seres. Her expression was resigned but determined. “Hyrule needs those troops. Seres, I’m stuck. I always knew that this was something I’d likely need to do. I’ve been betrothed several times in my life to this prince or that noble, but it never seemed real. It was always some far-off future that I wouldn’t need to deal with. I’d even been prepared to marry someone before the invasion to save my family and Hyrule. It was this same situation, but we were already on the throne fighting to save it, not reclaim it. The only difference is that since then, I've stupidly fallen in love with a soldier I found in a prison cell, and now I don’t want to imagine a future where he’s not in it.”

“Can’t royals take lovers? I’ve heard other kings and queens have done that,” Seres asked, genuinely and innocently, hoping not to offend Zelda, though she knew better than to expect Zelda to lash out at the suggestion of living as an adulteress.

And as expected, Zelda didn’t react poorly, rather, she just looked disappointed. “Not respectably, no. It would tarnish both of our reputations, and I couldn’t do that to him. If he were a noble, that’s the only time it wouldn’t be looked at with _burning_ scandal, but rather piqued interest for gossip mongers. Daltus, for example, could have Niko live with him at the palace, but it would most likely require Niko to give this place over to someone else for a permanent presence at court. Even then, Daltus _has_ to marry a woman to have heirs for the throne. For us, it’s all about ensuring the survivability of our families. And mine is dead, so I’m all that’s left. That goes back to Daltus’ point about Link and I: how could I subject Link to following my husband and I around, or guarding our door? I wouldn’t want that if it were the other way around. It would kill me to see him with some wife of his every day and… to _know_. I don’t even know how this is going to work at all. How could I do that to him? I’ll have to let him go so he doesn’t have to go through that.”

Seres grabbed Zelda’s arms in a comforting gesture, honest heartbreak for her princess and friend. “So, there’s really nothing?”

Zelda shook her head. “No, there’s nothing.”


	38. Chapter 38

When Zelda looked into the mirror, she saw her mother, not herself.

Her dress was far too gorgeous. Daltus had given a bonus to the seamstress to create an even more stunning dress than she’d been given before. He’d been surprisingly passive towards her over the past four days. Perhaps it was just the anticipation of Auru’s arrival. Perhaps he’d finally taken Zelda’s threat seriously.

But as she spun slowly, staring at herself, the image in the mirror slowly began to fade, replaced by an old memory.

_“Zelda, come away,” her mother had said waving her over away from the mirror. “I have to talk to you.”_

_Zelda had been surprisingly clumsy as she grew into her height, so at ten, she still tripped over herself often._

_Her mother caught her arm, steadying her. “Love, are you okay?”_

_“Yes, Mama,” she’d said. Thanks to Aelia’s birth, she’d still heard her mother called this most often, and she had no great desire to prefer addressing her any other way, not even if royal advisors told them she had to start speaking properly. “Why can’t Aelia come with us today?”_

_Her mother ran a hand through Zelda’s hair. “This is just for you, me, and Papa. You understand what’s happening today, right?”_

_Zelda shrugged. “I’m getting married, I think Impa said?”_

_“No, baby, you’re not getting married today. Something happened, something you don’t have to worry about, and you now have a new betrothed. He’s a Prince, and he’s your age. You’ll meet him today. His name is Cado. You have to be nice to him, okay?”_

_“I’m always nice.”_

_Her mother laughed and planted a quick kiss into Zelda’s hair before calling over several of her ladies to help fix it. “Are you okay with this, Zelda?”_

_Again, the young girl shrugged. “I guess.”_

_And though Zelda never understood why, she remembered seeing her mother’s sad face as she leaned against the doorframe, a tear in her eye. “What have we done to you?”_

Zelda placed the circlet on her head, letting Seres pin it securely in place. She grabbed the girl’s hand, letting out a deep breath. It wouldn’t be long now until Auru’s arrival, marching his soldiers to her aid.

This is how she saves her people.

_“Aelia,” Zelda said, bursting into her sister’s room without waiting. She immediately threw herself onto the bed, her long blonde hair fanning out. Her sister, only ten, sat on the floor with a doll in her hand, unaffected by her sister’s abrupt intrusion. Zelda flopped her head over to the side to see if she had her sister’s attention. “Gemma isn’t here so I need you to listen to me, okay?”_

_“Sure,” Aelia said, reaching for the brush to run through her doll’s hair._

_“Okay,” she flopped herself upside-down off the bed. “You’d tell me if you had your first kiss, right?”_

_Aelia slowly turned to her sister, disgust written all over her face as her response._

_“Well I don’t mean now, I just mean… whenever.”_

_“Fine. I’ll tell you.”_

_“Great, because now I don’t feel so bad telling you that Prince Cado kissed me.”_

_Aelia was not as impressed as Zelda hoped she’d be. “Aren’t you marrying him? Isn’t he supposed to? What’s the big deal?” Though she knew Zelda, only fifteen, was too young still to actually get married._

_Scoffing, Zelda rolled off the bed. “Well you’re no fun. I wish Gemma was here instead of you.”_

_“That’s rude,” she muttered as Zelda left the room._

Sitting with ladies fussing over the perfect slight curl to her hair, or the right amount of black kohl around her eyes to make the best first impression had her mind racing. Racing through all the little moments that she fought to remember. The moments where she was reminded over and over again that this was her duty to Hyrule, as it was every royals’ to their kingdom.

_“No, the soldiers are dying out there!” Zelda had all but yelled at her parents when the war had first begun. Back when their troops were numerous and strong and Ganondorf still hadn’t set foot in Hyrule. “I want to help them. I want to take the training course they’re offering to volunteers. There are more important things to worry about besides marriage and who you’re going to throw me at next. You use me as a babysitter for Aelia, and I’m sick of wandering around between lessons with nothing to do. Please don’t end the betrothal to Cado. At least I know him! I don’t know… whatever his name was.”_

_“Zelda,” her father had said calmly. “You are still young, you don’t understand just how important this is.”_

_“But father, why does it have to be me? Can’t it be a piece of land you trade? I just want to go to Hyrule Field. I can do more good there.”_

_“Zelda,” her mother whispered. “You can stop this war before it ever begins. We don’t want to have to ask Aelia to do this, but we have to have one of you help us here.”_

_“So I’m the oldest, so I can be sacrificed first?”_

_“You’d rather we ask your sister?”_

_“Of course not,” Zelda spat. “Of course I’ll do it. All of myself for the Kingdom of Hyrule, right? I just mean that I want to do more than exist to be a bartering chip.” _

_Her mother had a comforting hand on her arm. “You are far more than that, darling. Go back to Hyrule Field. Keep doing your good work there. Your marriage wouldn’t happen right away, so go. Your father and I are both alive and healthy, so there won’t be any need to rush you to the altar.”_

_Zelda had gone to leave, but stopped herself. “I’m sorry. I am happy to do this for Hyrule. I just wish it was more pleasant circumstances. Meeting him first. Spending time with him.”_

_“We’ll see what we can do,” her father promised with a grateful head nod._

Descending the stairs, Zelda could feel every eye on her. The halls were crowded; Daltus had invited many people inside to witness everything. Her feet guided her blindly to where she knew Daltus and Niko were waiting. There was no sight of Auru, and for that, Zelda felt relieved. It gave her another minute to compose herself. In his rush to get to Ganondorf, this might even be the only day she meets Auru before his call for their marriage.

_“Aelia?” Zelda had called just before feeling her sister crash hard into her. “Oof!”_

_“Zelda’s back!” she screamed into the echoing halls. “Tell me everything.”_

_It had been her first visit home from training after weeks away. Coming back, she realized just how sheltered the palace was, with its fine things and pristine rugs, stainless silverware, and buffets of meals._

_Zelda clung to her sister, spinning her around before leading her down a long hallway. “The first thing I want to teach you is how to make tea without asking Jessa to do it for you.”_

_“I’m sure I can do that,” Aelia said, youthful confidence exuding from every one of her pores._

_“Okay, I won’t help you then.”_

_“Fine, then I won’t tell you the good news that mom and dad managed to forgo your betrothal. You’re free again. I’m not. Not yet, anyway.”_

_Zelda was beyond excited, but she knew that there were likely secret meetings with the council, already deciding who the next tactical match would be. “You’re a rat, Aelia. Remind me not to tell you any secrets.”_

However, when she’d been taken prisoner by Ganondorf, she’d just been on the heels of another betrothal. He’d been unfortunate enough to be at the castle to meet when the massacre happened. She never even saw him.

When Zelda finally snapped back to reality, she was beside Daltus, outside. They were both watching a large procession of troops that Auru brought. Their armor was impeccably clean, shining in the glare of the sun. Zelda found herself squinting at times just to manage to keep her eyes on them.

But it was not every soldier in his army, just a small contingent for show, and eventually the line ended with an man in a very large crown staring at her with steeled eyes, the trained look of impassivity that monarchs perfected in their youth.

“Princess Zelda, it is an honor,” he said, monotone and without bowing.

She, however, still had the lower rank, and found herself in a low curtsey. “King Auru. The pleasure is mine.”

“Let us clear some things up now, Princess: when we wed, we will live in my kingdom. Hyrule is but a memory of its former glory. I’ll not live here in its current state. Our armies will merge the instant we consent to marriage at the altar. We will then march to reclaim Hyrule and end this stalemate we are in.” He bent forward and kissed her cheek, then the other, before planting a dull kiss on her lips. With a sharp nod, he continued on his way, content with that meeting being sufficient introduction.

When he’d gone far from view, she let out a sharp breath into her hands and turned to Daltus. He was giving her a look of superiority. “What?” she demanded.

“Well, cousin, he’s just done what you did to me. He’s lowered you, even in your own eyes. Does it make you want to lash out? I would understand if it did.”

Zelda scoffed. “If I die, he has a sister and that would be your fate, you know. This situation doesn’t work well for any one of us. He looks about as pleased as I am to be here.”

“Possibly less. He’s a bit of a hermit.”

“So I’ve heard.”

The two exchanged a sidelong glance and a mutual look of annoyance at Auru’s existence. Zelda felt herself smile with him at their one commonality.

The rest of her day went by in another blur. There were few days that she barely remembered thanks to her ability to recede from reality.

_Zelda threw her things into her bag with haste she didn’t even know she possessed._

_“Please, Princess, you can stay here where it’s safe.”_

_She ignored Owl. Though he was her superior in the medical tent, she was his in every other way. “Stop trying to convince me. I’m going home. Did you even see the letter?”_

_“You read it aloud to me, Princess. Here, you are surrounded by an army, people who would die for you, who owe you their lives. Stay here with us where it’s safe, I’m begging you.”_

_“I need my horse. I have to go home. Ganondorf is coming.”_

_“What good will you be able to do there?” he tried once more._

_“They’re my family. As much as I love all of you, my priorities are to Hyrule and to my family, first and always.”_

_Owl grabbed her hand and bent his forehead to it reverently. “Then I’ll say to you what I say to the soldiers: do not look back, and do not die.”_

_“Sound advice,” she grinned, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “But I may struggle with one of those. Stay safe, Owl.”_

She was braced against her bedpost, blinking back the memories again, as she had done all day. All day, she had been lost, floating in the recesses of her mind just to get through it. Auru had spoken of his plans for Hyrule. He’d talked to Niko about promoting his house’s nobility for his sacrifice during these times. He’d talked about heirs, and how quickly Zelda would need to have them to keep both kingdoms safe.

It made her sick, and her only escape had been to sink within her memories. Most of them were painful enough, just seeing the smiling faces of her family was enough to make her heart feel like it was tearing in two, but worse, they all reminded her of her duty to Hyrule. It was her sole responsibility to keep it safe. And Auru was the only way that happened now.

“Princess?” Seres said, rubbing a comforting circle on her back. “Are you okay?”

Zelda’s head shook.

“Is there anything at all I can do?”

Her head shook again.

Seres went to move, but Zelda caught her arm, a vacantly horrified look on her face.

“Seres, have you ever thought of having children?”

“I’ve thought about it, yes. Why?”

“Could you ever imagine them in my situation? Would you allow it?”

Seres cleared her throat and put her things down. “Princess, I was raised differently than you. I could never envision your life.”

“I’d have to do this to my child too. Make him or her marry a stranger because it makes the kingdom stronger. Does that make me a monster? Does it make my parents monsters? We’ve done this to almost every royal. Are we all just cruel, horrible people? I keep hoping that my family is with the Goddess, but only Aelia was innocent. Perhaps the rest of us find our way into one of the nine hells because we do this.”

Pulling Zelda down onto the bed, Seres clasped Zelda’s hands. “For me, sacrifice was knowing that I’d have to be the one to clean the young Rutherford’s regurgitations off of the furniture because my masters were in a financial meeting. For you, sacrifice is knowing that you may not have the life you wanted. Sacrifice is giving up the man you love to marry a stranger so Hyrule can survive. I have no right to judge your family, Princess. And you shouldn’t judge them too harshly either.”

A loud thud in the hall had Zelda jumping in her skin, hand on her chest before letting herself breathe again.

But then the thud came again. And again.

“What’s happening?” Zelda muttered, not specifically to Seres, since the girl knew as much as she did.

But as she went to stand, the thud hit her door.

Gasping, Zelda leaned back and reached for the knife under her pillow before sitting up and pulling Seres behind her.

They clung to each other as the door flew open as one panting soldier hulked toward them. His hair was wild, sweaty and entirely obscuring his face in its chaotic layout. He had a knife in his hand. But he made it only one step inside before he was tackled by another man, equally disheveled.

Zelda pushed Seres back until they were both against the wall, feeling Seres move to block her from the bloody soldier. They squinted at the armor. Both soldiers were in King Auru’s armor, the symbol clear in the armor’s shine, despite the blood that coated both of them. In fact, it smeared her door as well.

She felt her heart skip about a hundred beats, leaving her chest hurting as she heard the thundering of footsteps down her hallway, following in pursuit of the two men. All she could do was hold the knife closer.

Although she hoped that the arrival of the other soldiers was a rescue, a small group who’d known about these two men, it didn’t comfort her when five more soldiers reached her door, all with swords drawn and wearing Auru’s armor. In fact, it had quite the opposite effect.

She felt ready to throw up. She was dead already.

“Don’t fight them if they take me,” Zelda whispered to Seres. “Stay invisible and find Finn.”

“He should already be here,” Seres whispered, remembering the first thuds in the hall with dread. Neither could see past the skirmish in front of them to check that Finn wasn’t lying dead in the hall with her other guards.

The one soldier continued to fight against the others, defending her—or perhaps wanting the glory of killing her all to himself—and took three of the five new arrivals down at the chokepoint the door offered. After a brief melee, they were dead as well, piled with the others.

“Finn?” Seres whispered, hoping that he was under the helmet and not in the hall. Whether his name was an actual question to the soldier or just a breath, she wasn’t sure.

The soldier took off his helmet and tossed it onto the floor, breathing heavily and skin covered almost completely in ripped skin of dripping blood and caked-on dirt, nearly unrecognizable if it weren’t for his voice.

“Sorry I’m late. Miss me?”

Zelda’s heart lurched forward. “Link?”

He smirked, lopsided and with a hint of a pained grimace, adjusting his grip on his sword and wringing his jaw as more footsteps approached through the hallway.

“You’re not going to believe the day I’ve had.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just going to put this here that this chapter and the next were originally all one chapter that kind of flip-flopped between perspectives, but I felt like splitting them up because it worked better, so the next chapter ISN'T going to start where this one ends. It's going to be this same day but Link's perspective until it reaches this same point and THEN it will move on. Just warning you because I'm not fancy enough to make that a seemless, non-confusing transition without a heads-up.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, just a reminder that this isn't a continuation of where the last chapter left off, but instead it takes place at the same time, just from Link's perspective!

Link was settled in his chair, comfortably looking around the strange room with a mug of beer in his hand, still filled to the top and now warm as he let it brush against his lips under the pretense of taking a sip as he’d done for nearly an hour.

When he’d been asked by the man who worked the tavern if everything was alright, he’d simply said he was having a rough day, and he was left alone to his thoughts.

But Link wasn’t alone or lost in thought.

His eyes watched Viscen as the older man travelled throughout the room, sitting at tables and joining in a laugh, standing back with his arms crossed, or lying his head on a table like a man who’d been drinking for days. Each time, he’d offer Link a small signal, saying he’d heard something useful, or it was a waste to keep watching the group near him.

There were times, though, that Link managed to zone out, especially when Viscen was seemingly doing nothing.

Here he was, in a tavern in the streets of Damel, staring out the window at the massive house where Zelda and the others would soon be bombarded by far more than just the arrival of Auru’s soldiers. And he wanted nothing more than to run to her side and get her out of there, but if he did that now, it would all be for nothing. She’d stay trapped with Auru.

Link had to give it to the King: he knew what he was doing. It had to be his years of experience on the throne, but he knew that Zelda was a threat in his grand plans. But if Link and Viscen couldn’t get _solid_ proof to Finn of Auru’s deviance, Link already knew what Auru’s contingency plan was, and it was almost worse than his actual scheme. Looking down at the King’s armor on his chest, Link hadn’t been the biggest fan of what he’d had to do to come to know all of this…

While Link had been thinking, he felt a tap on his shoulder and glanced up to where he’d last seen Viscen, who was no longer there. Giving it about thirty seconds, Link finally stood and set the full drink down beside a rupee, walking out in his faked stupor with a kind-- though distant—smile to the man who’d been keeping an eye on him.

As Link traversed the dark streets, still an hour or two before most would even start to wake up, he bumped into a hooded man and stumbled, hearing the word “alleyway” muttered as he did. And straight ahead, Link continued his way behind an old run-down building into a small alley behind several quiet homes, waiting.

“How did it go?” he heard the man ask as he suddenly appeared beside him a few minutes later. It was Viscen, pulling off his hood, looking distinctly different than he had inside the tavern.

Link sighed and pulled a wad of folded papers from inside his cloak. “Got the letters. Damn near lost my hand for them though.”

“You kept it, so well done. Did you find _him_ yet? If he sees you, it could cause problems.”

“Not yet.”

“Shit,” Viscen hissed, though he took the papers from Link and glanced over them, nodding his head in excitement. “Yes, she’ll know what to do with this.”

“Can you get them to her right now? We could just go back and stop them all before Auru even steps foot inside that house.”

But Viscen shook his head. “No. You have to go back. You’ve got one more job too, remember?” Link groaned, and Viscen just eyed him with a dirty look. “You asked for my help when you came to my brother’s clinic. I understand that you’re eager to return, but now you know the danger she’s in. Finish this, or _they_ will. We’ve done well so far. Just a few more hours.”

“Fine,” Link muttered. But he swatted the papers. “Just get these letters to Zelda, Seres, or Finn.”

“No, I was going to throw them in Lake Hylia just for fun,” Viscen said, utterly sarcastic and agitated. Four days in, and Link had all but begged Viscen to stop asking him thousands of questions that he had no answers to. He was not well-matched for Link’s personality, and for the past four days, they’d gotten on civilly, though not without a fair bit of friction. Still, both had the utmost respect for the other. Link just hoped he would never have to sit in a tavern for several uninterrupted hours with him again.

All Link could do was roll his eyes at Viscen before pulling up his own hood and heading back to the outskirts of town where the majority of Auru’s army was camped for the night. He made no effort to sneak around; he’d been covering himself for the past few days, and even greeted the guard at the edge of the area by name as he passed by.

Though, he often forgot to listen when someone used _his_ name. Or rather, his assumed name.

“Colin! There you are! Come on, you’re going to be late! I’ve been trying to find you since shift change,” a young soldier named Izza said as she led Link deep into the camp. “Are you ready for this?”

Link shrugged, “I suppose there’s no better time.”

She gave him a disappointed look. “Is that all the excitement you can muster? _We_ are going to be famous. We’ll be known throughout history as those who made Auru the King of Kings!”

“Shut up,” Link hissed, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from a tent. “Do you want the world to hear you? There are still those in this camp who would stop us. I don’t really feel like dying today.”

She made a face and nodded, “Right, sorry.” She kept pace with his rushed stride. They both knew where they were going. “So, how about you and I celebrate our,” she lowered her voice for his sake, “ _victory_ tomorrow with a drink?”

And though he’d managed to dodge her question once before, he snorted as he found himself caught in it this time. “Sorry Iz, I’m… _pining_ for someone else,” he mused.

Her face fell for a moment, but she bounced back quickly. “She pretty?”

Link smirked.

“Oh, so she is! Tell me about her.”

“No,” Link said, finally glancing at Izza.

“Fine. Then can we get a platonic drink? I’ll even toast to your unrequited love.”

He genuinely hated Izza. And the only reason he found himself hating her was _because_ she was a good person, and far too easy to like. For the past few days, she’d been nothing but nice, overly nice at times, but generally a good person to pass the time with. She reminded him of Elosa, his old friend back at his garrison. He felt the same about several others he’d met up with. Except he hated them all, and it was for one single reason:

In a few hours, they were all going to try to kill Zelda.

Of course, Link couldn’t say much. He was on the mission to kill her too.

When he and Izza reached an unimpressively normal tent, they slipped inside and went out the back end of the tent as well before reaching a much larger tent, greeting several soldiers as they passed. They went inside and and knelt along the edge of the tent, waiting in the darkness of the pre-dawn.

Link tried to get a good look at everyone. There was one pair of eyes who should be here, one person who’d recognize him and blow his cover the instant he realized that Link was not an Auru loyalist. And he’d never thought he’d see him again, since, until a few days ago when Viscen had told him otherwise, he’d believed to have been killed.

It didn’t take long for a tall soldier to hold up a torch in the center of the tent, dimly lighting the room. The tent was so tall that the flame was on little consequence. But then again, the tent was tall and secluded because it was King Auru’s, despite the lack of the king’s presence.

“Soldiers,” the man with the torch said, looking around. “We are about to do the Goddess’ work, and help proclaim King Auru as the true ruler, above the usurpers. Our liege has the blood of old, and his family stems back to the dawn of this land. It is his right to rule.”

Link found himself responding with the words he’d learned to repeat whenever someone mentioned Auru’s rule: “By the Goddess’ will.”

His eyes scanned the room, though the light from the flame wasn’t enough to show everyone’s faces. He still couldn’t spot the face.

The torch-wielder continued. “Today we are the harbingers of fate. And we share in it together. As we live, we die as one. Should things go poorly today, our king will save us. And so, as you all know, we bear his mark to illuminate our complicity. We will be found with ease, and we will go without fight, should he need to turn this in his favor. You have all agreed, and you are here now, hours before our fate, to face it together. In the names of the Goddesses, we will sacrifice if they see fit.”

_Not_ the sacrifice Link had thought of when he’d first come along.

Another soldier took out a knife, and she walked around for a minute before bending to the nearest soldier, pulling him into the center of the tent. He followed willingly, kneeling before taking his armor and shirt off. The woman knelt before him and dug the knife down his chest, close to his collarbone, in a straight line, then two more that jutted off the bottom. It was the most basic version of Auru’s royal symbol. Link looked around at the other zealots and waited for the woman to bring him to the center.

He did as everyone else before him had done, gritting his teeth as the sharp pain spread around his chest. It was done quickly, and he was handed a cloth to place over it to stop the bleeding before returning to his place. It was deep, and he knew it would scar. For everyone else, it was a mark of pride. For him, it was an unfortunate repercussion that he’d been willing to accept.

When everyone had finished, Link watched the woman with the knife mark herself before standing up. “We all know the plan: kill the false princess tonight. Make sure you enter the room beside hers and kill her guard in there before the ones in the hall. He’s your greater threat. As soon as you take him out, she will have no protection. No mistakes, you go in large numbers. You know what it will look like. You’ve practiced. Now, we succeed; for our king, we cannot fail.”

“By the Goddess’ will,” Link muttered again before standing, wringing out his arm as he clutched his stinging chest like many others.

Izza was beside him again as soon as it ended. Her excitement was palpable. To her, she was following orders as an extreme loyalist of King Auru. She wasn’t going to murder an innocent woman, she was going to bring her king closer to his destiny. It made her feel important in a world where she was considered one of the most expendable people to Auru. Objectively, Link could almost see the appeal of feeling so special as a field soldier. “Do you think King Auru will thank us personally?” she asked, a dreamy expression in her eyes.

Link resisted the urge to make a face. “Maybe? He came in a few days ago, so I don’t see why not.”

“If he shook my hand, I’d die,” she laughed, starstruck as much as everything else.

With a halfhearted noise of agreement, he grabbed Izza’s arm. “Hey, I just wanted to thank you for getting me in there in the first place. You took a risk on a stranger.”

She shrugged. “A hot stranger. Your girl will notice you after we succeed, I guarantee that.”

“I’m sure she’ll notice me,” he muttered. Since he’d volunteered to be in the first wave of the first group who’d take out the guards, he was _positive_ she’d notice him. Him and a few dead bodies, he imagined, hoping that Finn would be the guard on the door. At least he’d have help. And the irony wasn’t lost on him that he’d been assigned to fight… well… himself.

The thought made him smile a little. “I was actually wondering if you knew how many of us were involved. I only know my group, really.”

She made a dismissive face. “A lot. I’m in the same boat as you. I just know my people. I do know that there were a few more who got the royal mark earlier in the night.”

“I was just curious,” he said, a despondent smile on his face. “I’m going to go get some rest before we move into the city.”

She looked disappointed but stepped out of his way. “Until later. See you for that drink.”

He rubbed his hand against his chest as he walked, making sure the wound had clotted before peeling off the cloth and tossing it into a nearby fire. It identified him as one of Auru’s, and he knew that once he started fighting, there was no way it would stay closed. That’s what they wanted, and it’s why they weren’t given bandages to cover it. The blood would soak through his shirt would help identify him even more. Not only would he have to ditch his fake uniform, but he’d have to leave his chainmail behind as soon as he could after reaching Zelda or he could get grabbed by Auru’s guards who were prepared to enact his emergency fallback plan. 

He went over it in the dirt just far enough away from everyone that he was easily ignored to run through the plan again and again. He traced the layout of the house into the dirt, and marked the numbers he knew, their positions, their plans. He studied it in the rising sun for what felt like hours before kicking it clean and heading back to his tent. And damn, he knew that the ripples of trying to foil Auru’s plan that he was about to cause would quickly turn into waves.

At least Viscen had taken most of the proof they’d need and gotten it safely away. Link’s mark would help prove he was telling the truth about his information, and his participation in the coup had given him access to several tents and piles of letters that he wouldn’t have managed to get to otherwise.

There was just one more thread. One soldier who lurked in the camp who wanted Zelda dead for different reasons. One who’d tried it before and who’s continued existence and influence had done more harm than Link ever imagined it could.

The time to march came much faster than Link had anticipated. He’d gotten very little sleep, but then again, he’d fought battles on less than that.

The march itself was a mindless display of pomp. When they arrived inside, it felt beyond strange to parade _past_ Zelda; with her expression so vacant, he imagined that she didn’t notice _any_ of them passing by. And while keeping himself from staring at her was hard enough, he found it was surprisingly more difficult to ignore the soldiers he’d come to know in the house, keeping his identity from them by keeping his eyes to the ground. For now, he was grateful that the armored helmets Auru invested in covered a good portion of his face.

Despite the pent-up energy that was nearly palpable, the day passed much the same as any normal day would. They followed Auru to the courtyard, and he watched them train until it was time to eat. Auru left for the meal, and soon, several of the soldiers involved in the coup were beginning to pass messages of certain players’ whereabouts along. He found the confusion over the mysterious absence of “Zelda’s Knight” to be mildly humorous, despite his otherwise antsy mood.

Then word came that Zelda was just leaving the dining hall. Link knew this meant he still had another half hour or so, just enough time to let Zelda settle into her routine before springing the attack, as they’d said.

So, Link continued his search for the soldier he was looking for, though only in an absent pass-the-time kind of way, given the time. He’d hoped to catch Seres or Finn along the way, to give them both a fair warning, but he didn’t see them. With any luck, Finn would be with the both of them, and he’d be ready, protecting them. Without luck, he’d still be out with Viscen somewhere, the timing of their meeting off, and Zelda without a trustworthy guard when the attack begins. As Link mulled over the location of his friend, he and another of Auru’s soldiers collided while rounding a corner.

“Sorry,” Link said, stepping off to the side to let the man pass.

But the man stopped, looking Link over. “Do I know you?”

And when Link looked up, he felt conflicted between elation and dread.

It was the man he’d been looking for.

It was Reese.

Link had to bite his cheek just to avoid acting too quickly. “Were you at the meeting this morning?”

Reese shrugged in the picture of feigned innocence. “I don’t know what meeting you are talking about.”

Link nodded casually, backing away. Though he’d been looking for Reese for days, now, _right_ before the attack on Zelda, was not the time to engage with him. “Then I don’t think we know each other. Sorry.”

“No, take off your helmet, soldier.”

Link mentally cursed himself, and he cursed Viscen for picking out such low-ranking soldiers to ambush on their first day. Link took off his helmet as ordered and kept it under his arm, his hand twitching towards his sword, hoping Reese had forgotten knowing each other back in Saria Town. But then again, it had been a memorable few encounters.

“You—” Reese gasped, catching on faster than Link hoped.

“Oh, right, you stabbed me! How could I forget?”

He dodged Reese’s fist as it snaked out in an instinctive move to try to debilitate Link. In the next instance, they both reached for their swords, clashing them together hard and _loud_. Link cursed once again, needing to keep his presence as quiet as possible. He couldn't risk being caught and _not_ getting to Zelda. So, he did the dumbest thing he could think of. He tossed his sword to the ground and tackled Reese.

“You’re not with Auru!” Reese choked out as he and Link struggled for the upper hand.

With a flick of his wrist, Link managed to push Reese’s sword out of his hand, sending it flying far out of reach. “You were supposed have died back in Saria!”

“So were you!” Reese countered, only knowing that he’d stabbed Link three times in dangerous locations.

Link rolled off him and turned just in time to feel Reese’s fist against his cheek rather than the back of his head. It sent him staggering back to the ground, and he had to blink away some of the pain for a moment. Reese’s metal gauntlet on his hand would have drawn blood, and the brush of cooler air down a line on his face was confirmation of just that.

“I heard what you did,” Link said as he made his way to his feet and searched for an opening. While he knew how to fight with his fists, he certainly wasn’t a trained brawler. And with armor, it only made everything that much more difficult. And Reese still had a helmet, severely limiting the places Link could hit him to cause any useful damage.

So, he grabbed his knife instead.

Reese chuckled, eyeing his fallen sword behind Link. “That’s cheating, you know.”

“I’ve been told I’m pretty good at that.”

Keeping his legs moving, Reese circled around Link, his arm up, ready to block the knife. “Killing her would have been a mercy!” Reese spat, the fight forgotten as they simply continued in a circle. “Ganondorf was going to kill her slowly!”

“So you decided to take half of army that was going to save her to give to that monster?”

“I didn’t do anything but suggest the idea that Auru could make a fair profit from the decision. Besides, Zelda is not going to survive tonight, especially if _you’re_ with me, or if you’re dead,” Reese said, though it prompted Link’s heavy fist to slam against Reese. In Reese’s distraction, Link sent his knee in Reese’s gut, though with the armor, Reese was sure that Link might be the one in more pain.

“Ganondorf is going to succeed against her cousin Daltus, not her. She won’t give up her kingdom, but he’s weak enough that he will be far more pliable under Ganondorf. It saves her that torture. She’ll be with the Goddess by then, far from the Demon King’s grasp.”

Link stepped back to avoid a blow to his leg, only to feel another one, a knife this time, cut his forehead. Reese had used Link’s momentary distraction to pull out his own hidden blade. Link wiped away the rivers of blood that came with a face wound using the back of his hand, tightening the grip on his own knife and spitting some dripping blood off his lips.

“Your logic is shit, Reese.”

When he’d seen Auru’s symbol on the letter the day he’d left, he remembered… it was on Reese’s armor. He’d noticed it when they’d fought the dinofols, but it just looked like a general symbol that the armor had been engraved with. And that letter combined with the one in Niko’s room… it was a good start to tying threads together, and Viscen had worked on making the final knots.

It was only after Viscen had gathered some of Auru’s reports about Zelda that Link had learned Reese was still alive. And Link had spent two days trying to find him, to kill him before he had a chance to try to kill Zelda again.

Sometimes, fate did work in his favor.

And sometimes, it didn’t.

He blocked several of Reese’s quick jabs but faltered just once. Unfortunately, it was enough to take a disorienting hit to the head, then another before feeling a flurry of hard, gloved hits in the gaps of his armor, his abdomen, and then the hard kicks to his back when he fell. Reese knew armor, and his foot landed hard in the gap under the chest plate again, this time into Link’s ribs.

Link groaned, rolling onto his back as he tried to open his swollen eye a bit more. Reese went to slam his foot down into Link, but Link held the knife just so Reese’s foot landed squarely and deeply in the tip, causing him to howl.

Link kicked at his kneecap, sending Reese to the ground. Using what luck Link had been given, he wasted no more time. He let out a pained cry as he took Reese’s knife to the back of his arm while Link brought his own knife swiftly along Reese’s neck before collapsing to catch his breath for a much needed moment.

He spat a mouthful of blood, some actually from a tender cut on his lip, and some that was still falling from his forehead. With a groan, grabbing his ribs where he’d been kicked and letting out a refreshing string of curses, he hauled himself to his feet and grabbed his discarded helmet. Pulling it on caused him to feel the hits to his head again, reminders where the metal pressed against bruises. Stumbling, Link hustled to catch up with his group before they got to Zelda’s room. The power of adrenaline was Link’s friend, and he wasn’t going to waste a second of it.

He’d never moved so fast in his life, taking every step two at a time until he reached the group he was in, the first wave into the Princess’ room. Two soldiers stepped into Link’s room as he arrived. They’d already taken out her hall guards, and he’d nearly been too late to reach her. But he didn’t see Finn among the guards, nor did he appear to be anywhere else. That was either incredibly good because it meant he was alive, or very bad because that meant Zelda was inside without a guard.

“You’re late,” one of them hissed at him. Link was too far for them to see the damage to his face or the blood on his armor.

Jogging over, and with the element of surprise, Link began to take out the soldiers in the hall with a swift stab into the sides of their necks until the others finally noticed what was happening. He’d managed to clear all but two just using surprise before the last two turned to him, recovered from their shock.

One of them didn’t bother unsheathing their weapon, but rather took off down the hall, and Link cursed, knowing that they weren’t _running,_ but was going to call the other groups over for support. But he didn’t have time to worry, not with one soldier remaining. And he was large, strong, trained. Frightening on a good day, and Link was _not_ having a good day.

With the ease of someone picking up a doll, the man lifted Link straight into Zelda’s door with a hard thud before flinging him off to the side, hitting the floor with a hard thump. It would have normally winded him a lot more, especially in his overall injured state, but his adrenaline was going too fast and too hard through him. More than that, seeing the door to Zelda’s room opened triggered something in Link that he didn’t even know existed, and he moved like he was in the best shape of his life to catch up to the hulking soldier. 

Vaguely, he recognized that Zelda was alive and in the corner of her room with Seres, but that was all he managed to see before tackling the soldier to the ground, pulling the man’s helmet off before repeatedly slamming it down into his skull and standing to face the approaching footsteps, finally able to have a moment to adjust his grip on his sword.

Five soldiers appeared in the doorframe, and Link felt a string of curses leave his lips before hurrying to take them one-by-one as they tried to filter through the doorway. He was relieved for his luck. Though he didn’t escape unscathed, each time he took one down, the path became littered with the dead and harder for them to get inside the room. However, that also made it easier for Link to take them down with minimal effort.

“Finn?” Seres asked in a hushed whisper.

Link turned back to Zelda and Seres. He could see Seres standing in front of Zelda, though Zelda held Seres, a knife ready in her hand. Seres looked equally ready to fight, though she was without a weapon.

He pulled off his helmet and let it fall, feeling relief without the pressure of it squishing on his bruised head, breathing heavy as he tried to catch his breath, hoping his adrenaline wouldn’t run out before this was over, because when it did, he would be in for _a lot_ of pain, and not one for a lot of movement.

“Sorry I’m late,” he breathed, pushing back his bloody hair. From the look on Zelda’s face, he wasn’t entirely sure she knew who he was. That didn’t make him feel good about how many hits he’d actually taken. “Miss me?” he managed, smirking as he watched Zelda’s expression turn from determination and fear, to absolute confusion.

“Link?” she balked.

There were more footsteps approaching, and Link glanced to the door before stealing one more look at her.

“You’re not going to believe the day I’ve had.”


	40. Chapter 40

“Are you okay?” Zelda asked. It was the first thing that came to her mind, despite the seemingly obvious answer.

Link was splattered with blood—especially his face— and bruises covered his jaw. Lumps were forming under his hair. His eye was swelling, there was dirt from the ground all over him. He was a mess. So no, he thought, he was _not_ okay.

“I’m fine. It’s not all mine. Are you okay?” he lied, though he couldn’t wait for her answer, turning back to face the doorway.

Auru’s soldier spotted Zelda and threw a knife at her face, or, rather, _attempted_ to. 

Link spun into her, feeling the soldier’s wayward throw land deep into the back of his upper thigh.

“Link!” she gasped, trying to catch him as he crashed against her.

He ‘dstumbled from the impact, but in the same motion, he ripped the knife out of his flesh and threw it back, lodging it in the soldier’s throat just below their helmet as the man tried to climb over the pile of corpses. Link pulled out a second knife, one from his own belt, and waited for the other soldier to come into view before doing the same thing. He hopped over the pile of bodies and glanced out into the hallway before beginning to clear the path to the door despite the pain dragging dead weight sent through him.

“Link, wait!” Zelda hissed, looking at him with horror, specifically his face, which he knew had to be close to unrecognizable at this point. He pulled away from her.

“It’s not as bad as it looks, really. We can’t stay here. They’re going to send more.”

“How do you know?”

Link smirked as he moved one final body out of the way. “I was a part of the group coming to kill you.”

“What?” she hissed, more confused than before.

“It’s a good story, Princess, but not one I have time to tell. We have to get you to safety, and—believe it or not—we have to get Daltus.”

“Please, just wait one second!” she hastily whispered, stopping him. His leg was dripping blood, so she ripped one of her sheets from the bed and wrapped the strip around his thigh to at least try and slow that bleeding.

When she was done, he grabbed her hand and pulled her alongside him, turning to make sure she had Seres as well before leading them down the corridor to the stairwell. They went through another hall before Link pulled them both to a halt.

“Seres,” he said quickly. “Do you know where Finn is?”

“No, he just said he had to meet someone.”

“Okay, he was meeting with Viscen. Listen, I _need_ you to find one of them. We have to get to Daltus, and so do they.”

“What am I telling them to do?” Seres asked, looking confused.

Link glanced around. “We managed to get some important information to Finn. He’ll know what to do, just find him and tell him to go to Daltus. If you can’t find him, find Viscen and tell him the same thing. He has the rest. That wasn’t the original plan, so they won’t know. Just…I’ll explain everything later, but please Seres, this has to happen fast.”

“She’s not safe, Link,” Zelda protested.

Link turned to Seres. “She knows how to seem invisible here. She can do it.”

“I can,” she nodded, looking to Zelda. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. Just stay safe, Princess.”

Seres took off down the hall and Link pulled Zelda into the nearest room, barricading the door quickly before slumping heavily against the table in the room. “Zelda,” Link muttered, pulling at his gloves. “I need you to help me out of this armor.”

She hurried behind him and unfastened the straps behind his back while he pulled off the leg fronts. They let it all clang to the floor, Auru’s symbol glaring up at them both.

“I need help with this too,” he admitted, gesturing to his chainmail.

“What happened?” she asked, though she helped pull it over his head, watching him wince and listening to his sharp breathing as she did.

“A lot.”

He tried to pull his collar down for her to see the mark they’d given him earlier in the day, but the collar was too tight. Instead, he pulled his shirt up, wishing he didn’t have to, for her sake.

“Link!” Zelda gasped, taking in the bruises that covered almost all of his torso, the old blood from the mark stained his skin where it had dripped down over his abs, and finally, the mark of King Auru himself, which looked like it was already building an infection.

She went to instinctively reach for him, but he caught her wrist. “Not right now. Every one of the traitors who was plotting to kill you has this mark engraved in them. Auru is going to use it to say that there was a faction of rogue soldiers in his army, and that they’ll all be fleshed out by checking for this. It’s his failsafe in case you weren’t killed. He’ll look like the hero. You can stop that from happening, but we need Daltus too.”

Link was heaving, winded, bleeding, and starting to feel the creep of pain break through his adrenaline. He let go of his shirt, letting it fall back into place and looked down at the chainmail on the ground. It had Auru’s symbol on the links on top of being far too bloody to not arouse suspicions about the wound on his chest, and he couldn’t risk using it, leaving him injured and uncovered. Instead, he adjusted his fingerless gloves and vambrace and kicked his muddy boots on the ground before securing his sword belt further.

Zelda watched as he did this, taking advantage of the brief pause while he worked. “Please, what else can I do?” She looked at the pitcher of water beside her and grabbed a cloth, dipping it into the water. “Clear some of the blood?”

“It’s not bothering me, but if you want.”

She barely pressed the cloth into the knife wound on his forehead than Link sucked in a sharp breath. “Fu—” his curse trailed off into a long groan. He shook his head at her, and she quickly backed off. “No, no, stop. I just am not having the best day for injuries. At least with the cut, they know where the blood is coming from. I’ll take care of it all later.”

Zelda grimaced, almost physically feeling some of his pain with him as she looked him over, silently agreeing that it was probably not his best day. “I thought you allegedly trained to _avoid_ injuries.”

He snorted, despite the ache it caused, grinning as he continued. “Are you suggesting that I’m out of shape?”

She crossed her arms, smirking playfully at him. “Well, no, _obviously_ you’re not. But are you out of practice?”

He finally reached his belt and smiled as he met her joking stare. Because even now, they knew how to calm the other down and how to take their mind off of everything else. “Princess, I just singlehandedly stopped thirteen trained soldiers who tried to kill you, and you’re saying I’m out of practice because I took a few hits? I’m _highly_ offended.”

“Right,” she snickered. “You’re also slow. Come on.”

He eyed the knife in her hand and nodded, offering her his hand. “Ready to run?”

“Can _you_ run?” she scoffed.

His cocky smile was an attempt to mask just how much pain he was in. She knew it, but she took his hand anyway.

They nodded to each other and Link pushed the barricade out of the way, feeling a bit freer without the burden of armor, but also feeling the effects of more movement on all of his injuries. They crossed the main foyer when Link heard someone call out their location.

“Go, Zelda!” he said, urging her to keep running while he stopped, taking his best stance despite clinging to his throbbing ribs with one hand, the other on his sword.

Three soldiers were on him, and he managed to quickly dispatch the first one that reached him. He always found it easiest to take down an opponent who was running. They were less stable and were far less focused on the actual fight but on reaching their opponent in time. And though he managed to quickly kill that one, he found himself on his back when the second soldier made it to him.

That soldier noticed Link defensive covering his ribs and took advantage, forcing Link to attack on the other side and expose his injury. The soldier spun around and slammed their sword’s pommel straight into Link’s side, sending him down to his knee. With a second pommel strike, this time to his face, Link found himself on his back. The soldier crouched over Link, one knee on Link’s chest to keep him down, sword ready to stab straight into his heart when Link managed to slide his knife along the soldier’s thigh right into a large artery that he’d seen lead to a very painful death without treatment. It caused the soldier to forget about Link, to stagger away, screaming for help as he collapsed with his hands wrapped around the wound, desperate to keep the blood _inside_ their body.

Link had no time to recover, and the third, final soldier reached him and slammed his shield down into Link’s stomach, causing Link to scream out as he felt the tip break through his already bruised skin. The soldier threw his body down onto Link, pinning him with more ease and efficiency than the other soldier had. He pushed the side of his sword down into Link’s throat.

Still reeling from the earlier blow, Link couldn’t make his muscles work as well as they normally could. His fingers closed around the blade as his hands bled where he gripped the blade, trying with the rest of his strength to keep it away. He had very little leverage, and tried to use his leg as best he could, but he let out a strangled cry as the edge started to breach the skin of his throat, too deep for comfort. It caused his body to fight back harder, keeping the knife _just_ away from him.

Then, the soldier screamed and fell off Link, crying out as he writhed on the ground. 

Link blinked a few times to see Zelda hovering above him, her hand shaking and bloody as she clung to her red-stained knife. Her eyes were unseeing as she stared at the discarded sword that was still clenched in Link’s blood-covered hands.

All Link could do was force himself to scurry to his knees in front of her. He gently pried the knife from Zelda’s fingers and slid his battered body across the floor to finish the soldier off before turning back to her.

Her eyes were on his throat, the gash revealing where he was about to lose his fight for good.

“Zelda, hey, are you okay?” he said, trying to avoid putting his bloody hands on her but still trying to snap her attention to him. He took a quick look at his hands and saw that there was completely dried blood on his knuckles from earlier. It was the only part of his hand that wasn’t actively bleeding, so he opted to run them lightly along Zelda’s jawline.

She turned to him, still her eyes focusing slightly more on his, and nodded. He let out a breath, too relieved to stop his light up and down trail. “You should have run. But thank you for that. I’d be dead if you ran.”

“Did I kill him?” she muttered.

“No. He was still alive. Barely.”

She nodded and rose to her feet, holding her hand out to Link.

One of his hands went to hold his ribs again, and he made a face, gesturing to his bloody hand. But Zelda didn’t move, waiting. Finally, he took hers, allowing her to help him to his feet.

He overestimated his ability to recover from another headshot so quickly and immediately crashed against the wall, leaning his face into the surface and enjoying the slightly lower temperature it had. Zelda grabbed him as he started to slide. The world was spinning onto its side, and he felt himself start to stagger forwards with it. Zelda’s grip on his sleeve tightened, and Link used his sword to help keep him upright, though if he had to admit it, just holding the sword in his bleeding hands hurt more than the crash to the ground would.

“Link,” Zelda said, unable to hold him up on her own as he started to slide into the wall again. She helped him lower himself to the ground and sat on the ground beside him, checking on the worst of his wounds but knowing that there was nothing she could really do at that moment. “I swear to the Goddess, don’t you do that to me again. I just nearly saw you get your throat slashed. Don’t you _dare_ make me watch you die now.” She wiped some of the blood from his face with her hand. It was _everywhere_. She pressed her hand over his throat, hoping to at least get that one to stop. Her dress wasn’t made of reliable fabric to tear, but she tried anyway, reaching for her knife.

“Zelda, stop,” he whispered, grabbing her wrist in just his fingertips, weak and definitely not strong enough to _actually_ stop her. “I can’t promise you that. Just leave me here with my knife and get to Daltus. Take my sword, just in case.”

Shaking her head, she lightly ran a hand through his hair. “If you can’t run, then it looks like I’ll have to watch _your_ back.”

Link grinned weakly, feeling the pain in his head starting to overtake him. “My Warrior Queen.”

She kissed a spot that was free of blood and bruises in the corner of his forehead. “Don’t you forget it.”

He hummed his response to her before wincing. “You have to go now.”

“No.”

“Zelda,” he said, ready to argue when he heard several more footsteps. He pulled Zelda away from the hallway, and she fell across his lap before sliding off behind him. Even now, he found some way to get between Zelda and the next soldier.

Link didn’t realize how he got his knife, but he held it ready as a body rounded the corner.

But he let it fall when he saw who it was.

“Finn,” he sighed, feeling his body start to drift off to the side, relief washing over him too intensely as his body realized that he didn’t have to fight so hard with someone else to get Zelda out. Zelda leaned against him to keep him upright.

Finn bent in front of them and looked Link over with a mortified expression.

“Only about half is mine,” Link mused.

“Link,” Finn grimaced, “You look like absolute shit. What in the nine hells happened to you?”

Link noticed Seres and Viscen behind Finn. He addressed Viscen. “I killed him. Got the mark. Stopped the assassination. What else you need me to do?”

“I think you’ve earned a few hours rest,” Viscen joked, though there was obvious concern in his eyes.

Seres pushed past everyone to grab Zelda’s shoulders. “Are you alright?”

“I am.”

Viscen nodded absently. “Let’s go. We aren’t leaving you here, Link, but we have to get to Daltus.”

He slid his arm around Link’s waist and heaved him up with surprising strength. Zelda had his other side, leaving Finn free to fight.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to. They reached Daltus’ room at a slow pace, but they reached it nonetheless.

And when they opened the door, they saw Daltus lying in his bed, cowering as a figure held a sword to his neck.

At the sound of the door, the figure spun and gasped.

“Colin? Oh Goddess, is that you?”

Link groaned. Izza.

“Colin, what did they do to you?”

Link tried to take a step towards her, but his leg gave out, the one that had caught the knife in Zelda’s room. He was on his knees, unable to get back up, and he realized that there wasn’t much more his body could take before it stopped him from functioning. He didn’t think he’d lost enough blood yet to kill him, but his head wounds, if nothing else, were going to take him down soon.

Izza instinctively went to help him, but Zelda and Finn both moved to block her.

“Colin?” she asked again, confused.

“Link,” he muttered, sitting up. “Not Colin.”

Izza’s eyes darted around, landing on Zelda. “Oh Goddess, _you?_ The Princess? You should be dead!”

She went to strike Zelda with her sword, But Finn was faster, driving his sword straight through Izza’s stomach. She fell in front of Link and Zelda, clutching her wound as she rolled onto her back, though dying wasn’t as fast as she’d believed or would have liked.

“You- you’re with them?” she asked addressing Link—the only face that she knew—her breathing wispy and light.

“Yes.”

“Goddess. And I let you in.”

Nodding, Link bent forward and covered her hand. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

Izza’s eyes slid to Zelda, noting how she was protectively in front of Link, despite the fact that it should have been the other way around, a small, knowing smile on her lips. “This her? The girl?”

Zelda looked at him, confused. But he offered his most comforting smile as the girl’s eyes almost seemed to lose their color, like the rest of her as the blood pooled around. “Yeah. This is her.”

“What will you do to my body?” she asked, though it was strained, and easily her last few words.

Link sighed. “A soldier’s death. Auru will see it.”

She let out a gurgled noise and her head lolled to the side, a final smile on her lips.

Link let go of Izza’s hand, wishing he could just see her as a monster, and not a girl he’d befriended, and a fellow soldier who would do _anything_ for her king. She reminded him of himself in that way and found it hard to fault her, especially since she’d failed.

Link felt the room spin again, and he slid himself over to the wall, needing something to lean against. Zelda helped him over and stayed knelt by his side, one hand on his leg, like she was afraid he was going to disappear if she let go.

Daltus finally slid out of the bed, though it was ungraceful and stunned. Zelda wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen a dead body before, considering how pale he went.

“Prince Daltus,” Viscen said, finally turning his attention away from the dead girl on the floor. “I work for Princess Zelda. Master Link and I have uncovered evidence that King Auru is working with the Demon King Ganondorf, and… and we have proof that Master Niko was working with them in hopes of puppeteering you.

“There has been a large assassination attempt on Princess Zelda in order to kill her and bring _you_ to the throne of Hyrule. Ganondorf believes that he can more easily sway you into ceding the throne to him. He would then ally with Auru to take your kingdom from your parents with you as their bargaining chip. Niko would receive a large piece of land that he would have essential kingship over. He is manipulating you and taking advantage of his influence with you. He has already been sending both Auru and Ganondorf information about you, and this home. He is trying to ensure his future, and little more than that.”

Daltus scoffed, unable to say anything other than: “What?”

Link couldn’t stand up to see Daltus, but he continued speaking for Viscen. “King Auru marked all the soldiers involved in the attack so they can be easily spotted and identified. Since it’s gone wrong, he’s going to try to play the hero. He’ll call his guards and expose the ones who are still alive. They already know it’s coming, and there would be no fight. We practiced both scenarios: a win and a loss. He’s going to claim it’s a radical group who wants him in power, but it’s just him.”

“What?” Daltus said again.

Link directed his attention to Zelda, since Daltus didn’t seem to be hearing anything. “Thanks to Reese’s suggestion, Auru sold half his army to Ganondorf for rupees and loyalty.”

“ _Reese_? The Reese who stabbed you in Saria?”

Link gestured to his forehead cut. “He likes knives.”

Her hand flew to his forehead, a new urgency to her touch, as if she thought it could burst open at any time thanks to a trick. “Where is he?”

Link gently moved her shaking hands away and his mouth formed a hard line, answer enough.

Standing, Zelda crossed her arms, keeping her eyes up to avoid looking at Izza’s body. “I believe everything your saying, obviously, but Auru won’t. You have proof of all this?”

“No,” Daltus said, “No, you can’t have proof. Niko didn’t do anything, so there is no proof.”

Viscen clasped a triumphant hand on Zelda’s shoulder and handed her one of the letters he had. “There is enough proof here that you can easily back away from your marriage to Auru.” Then, he turned his head and addressed Daltus. “Were you the one who suggested the arranged marriage to Zelda, or was it, by chance, Niko?”

“It was m—…” Daltus shook his head. “No…”

“Here,” Zelda said, holding out the letter she’d been given. “Niko’s handwriting.”

“No!” Daltus shouted, swiping his hand against the nearest object, a tall pile of books, and sending them flying.

The door flung open, and Auru burst in, wrapped in a robe, as if he’d been woken abruptly from sleep. “What’s happening? Are you all alright? I heard screaming.”

His eyes landed on Zelda and widened in shock for a near imperceptible moment. “Oh, you’re safe. ”

“I am,” she said coolly.

He strode over to her and kissed her cheeks, as he had earlier, and then a light, awkward kiss to her mouth before pulling away. “Thank the Goddess. Do you know what happened?” His eyes flickered to Link on the floor, and the dead body of Izza on the ground.

She could feel everyone’s eyes on her, waiting for her to expose him. With a deep breath, Zelda knew what she needed to do.

Zelda made herself look smaller and hugged her arms against herself, deliberately keeping her eyes off Izza and Auru. “It seems there was an attack, most likely by Ganondorf, if I’d have to guess. Thank the Goddess that you’re safe. I have never been so afraid for my life. I want this war over. I want to sleep peacefully at night again. I want to end this.

“Auru, I believe we should announce our wedding to the people tomorrow, once this place has been cleaned up. The city gathers for announcements under the foyer’s balcony. We can let them know that we’ll march to war in the next few days.”

“Zelda,” he muttered, clearly not expecting that. His arm reached out to comfort her, but it was a very forced and unnatural gesture. Either he didn’t want to have to comfort her, or he wasn’t used to doing that to anyone. Or both. “I must marry you before we march. My troops won’t follow you if we aren’t.”

Zelda’s eyes were steel as she regarded him. “Then we’ll marry the morning we march. I’ll have the contract drawn up immediately and a copy will be brought to you tonight. I cannot stay here anymore. Please, I know it’s such short notice, but do this for me, as your future wife.”

His face was as stunned as he blinked his surprise. “I… yes. That works. Tomorrow, we’ll announce it.”

She took a few steps toward Link, stepping around Izza. “Auru, you should go to sleep for the night. Post extra guards outside your room. It’s not safe. I may even take the Commander’s room in the barracks just to be surrounded by my soldiers.”

“Wise, Princess.” He looked at the body. “I can have my people look into this.”

“No,” she said quickly. “No, leave it alone. Let them think that they’re safe. Perhaps they’ll get sloppy and show themselves again. But we’ll be ready.”

“Still,” he said, lightly kicking Izza’s arm. “It should be looked into.”

She shook her head. “There have been attempts on my life here already. I know who’s behind it. It’s Ganondorf, and I’m dealing with it. My interventions are likely why this attack happened. Let me finish dealing with them my way.”

Auru hesitated, a visibly torn look on his face, knowing that the attack _wasn’t_ Ganondorf. “I suppose I can offer you support in your own investigation then.”

This time, Zelda nodded. “Not tonight. I want to sleep. There won’t be much time for it once we’re at Ganondorf’s door. You should sleep as well. I’ll have my guards gather the bodies and burn them.”

She noticed Auru’s white knuckles and hastily added: “Ganondorf won’t get away with this, I swear.”

With a tight expression, he simply nodded, the wheels in his mind turning. “I will see you in the morning then, Princess.”

“Noon. The announcements here in Damel are at noon.”

He nodded once and turned, leaving through the door, bellowing out for his guards as he headed away.

“Princess?” Seres whispered. “What did you just do? You can’t marry him.”

Zelda smoothed her hand over her blood-covered dress. “I’m getting my troops.”

“Zelda,” Link moaned, trying to move. “He’s going to kill you as soon as you’re married.”

She shook her head. “Do you trust me, Link?”

He leaned back, wanting to fight her. But he couldn’t. Not when she said that. “Yes.”

“Then believe me when I say I have a plan, and Daltus is going to help me.” She turned to Viscen. “But first, we have to get Link to Shad. Daltus,” Zelda said, turning to her still-stunned cousin. “Daltus?”

“His handwriting,” he muttered, still looking at the letter.

She stood in front of him and clasped his hand. “I know. But we have very little time right now, and I need you.”

He wiped a hand across his eye and shrugged, looking empty for the first time since she’d arrived.

“What do you need from me, cousin?”


	41. Chapter 41

Zelda felt a hand on her back, gently shaking her awake.

She woke with a start, feeling something stuck to her cheek where she’d drifted to sleep on the desk. She pried a piece of paper off her face and blinked awake, looking to see who’s hand it had been.

Seres.

“Princess,” she whispered. “You should change.”

Zelda looked down at her dress, still the expensive, once-beautiful garment that Daltus had wasted few rupees on for her first appearance to Auru. Now, it was covered in blood—most of it Link’s—and torn in places she didn’t even notice until just then as she looked over herself. Her hair was a wild mess, though some of that had to do with how she’s slept, and she was almost positive that all her makeup was smeared.

Nodding, she let Seres pull her to her feet. “What about Daltus?” she asked, looking at the body across the table from her.

To her surprise, he’d stayed with her all night, pouring over every piece of paper with Viscen, reading every piece of evidence, hearing every story. He looked horrible, drained of all the pompous energy she’d come to know and crushed by the horrible realizations from the night before.

He’d been used.

While he thought he’d been manipulating Zelda, it had been Daltus himself who’d been puppeted. Niko had been using him for power, playing on Daltus’ emotions and vulnerabilities. He’d been the one whispering in Daltus’ ear under the guise of casual advice, playing up his feelings for the Prince until he’d thought Niko’s suggestions were _theirs_. Decisions that would lead to their happily ever after.

Because unlike Zelda and Link, Niko and Daltus _had_ a chance to find that ending, so Daltus had never lost that hopeful future. But it hadn’t been enough for Niko. He wanted more, and he knew how to get more. Like Auru, greed had been Niko’s downfall.

It had taken a few hours of repetition and hard facts for Daltus to believe that someone could do such a thing, let alone that Niko could.

Zelda understood. If someone had told her that Link was using her, she wouldn’t believe it. It would take _a lot_ of proof, because she not only loved him, but she trusted him. And Daltus felt that for Niko. And despite everything he’d done in their time together, she found herself feeling empathetic towards Daltus. With every new piece of treachery they uncovered, Daltus lost more life in his eyes.

So, Viscen spent a good deal of his own time just dealing with that one problem and _showing_ Daltus the letters he’d gotten from Auru, and that he’d found in his searche. The letters to and from Ganondorf were easy to track. Auru had been conspiring with the Demon King, hoping to further expand his kingdom, and he was willing to take Hyrule as a loss to achieve Ganondorf’s support.

Reese had also kept many of his instructions from the Demon King, and plans were detailed in them, names of those to look for were listed, numbers of troops shared. The more they read, the clearer it became that Reese was the go-between for Auru and Ganondorf. And it also became evident that the entire alliance between the two had been at Reeses’ suggestion.

Niko’s part came into play when he had sent Reese layout descriptions of his home, and far more detailed descriptions of the people staying there. Both he and Reese talked about Zelda, and both illuminated Auru of her naïveté and inexperience. Both talked about Link’s near constant presence, and his skill—which Reese had seen defending Saria, and Niko had witnessed in the training yard. Niko wrote a description of the guards she was with most often, like Finn, Bardo, and Leon, to name a few: the ones who would need to be killed first. The amount of evidence against the two of them alone was damning, though Reese had already paid the price.

Though Link had gone to Shad’s clinic, recovering, Zelda stopped by in the middle of the night to check on him.

_When she’d gone inside, Shad was still cleaning out some of Link’s deeper wounds. He was taking it as well as he could, but he looked deathly pale and near passing out. Her hands found purchase on her finest medical skill: a needle. She went to help stitch up Link’s wounds, but Shad had stopped her._

_“I told you before: you don’t treat family or loved ones, not with a serious injury.”_

_She could feel herself start to protest that Link was neither of thise, but immediately stopped, realizing it wasn’t even worth denying. Everyone, it seemed, could see through them. She was, however, about to defy his demand that she not help at all when she realized that her hands had begun to shake the longer she looked at Link. She set the needle back down and went to sit_ _beside him_ _on the small bed instead. She noticed an empty potion bottle on the table and listened to his ragged breathing and sharp noises as Shad resumed working on one of Link’s wounds._

_Link looked over at her through hooded eyes that occasionally snapped shut as he suppressed a groan. Sweat had been pouring off every part of him as he strained to fight the pain he felt with Shad literally poking and prodding at tender pieces of his internal body where swords and knives had pierced his skin. Shad tugged a needle through something inside of Link that Zelda could see—had it not been for whatever medicine or paralytic in the potion—would have sent Link arching upwards in pain. He panted heavily, eyes bloodshot from whatever Shad had given him, and Zelda let Link lean into her for support as Shad stitched inside his wounds with delicate precision._

_She’d been relieved when Link had finally passed out, though she wasn’t sure if it had been from the pain or a potion._

_They’d gone back a few hours later after letting him have_ some _rest to hear the details he’d learned while in the camp. He hadn’t looked much better, though most of him had been wrapped in red blood-stained bandages. He was at least able to form sentences again._

“Prince Daltus?” Seres whispered, shaking him awake from his arm.

He was slow to wake, far less surprised than Zelda had been, and his eyes were bloodshot from tiredness and tears from the night before.

“Daltus,” Zelda said, moving beside him. “It’s morning.”

“Right,” he muttered, looking around as if he didn’t know where he was for a moment. “I have my things done.”

“You need to change.”

Daltus could barely keep his eyes focused as he looked down again, seeing that he still wore his clothes from the night before. “Yes, yes I’ll change.”

Seres led Zelda away towards a normal sitting room with the curtains drawn and the door locked. A new dress was already laid out, and a tub of water was in the center of the room.

“Your room will be done later. They’ve pulled all the rugs out from the hall and your room, and anything that managed to get blood on it has been cleaned. Except for you.”

Though Daltus was like a ReDead, barely processing the world around him but moving to follow where others were, Zelda was in an almost shocked state, acting on instinct rather than her own rational thoughts. She bathed because it was _smart_ , not because she _wanted_ to get the blood off of her. In fact, if the choice was hers, she would still be pouring over documents and preparing because _that_ was more worth her time.

She let Seres do most of the work, despite usually being uncomfortable with that. But her mind was in several places all at once. The documents, the announcement, and Link.

“Has the—” Zelda started, her thoughts derailing as another thought took over, much as it had been doing all night.

But Seres had been with Zelda all night, and she could sense exactly where her thoughts were. “Yes, and I gave them to Viscen. We paid the woman well for her timely service.”

“Okay…” Zelda breathed. “But have you heard from—”

“No, not this morning. I’m sure he’ll be waking up soon though. I hear Shad has a particularly potent potion for him that will be ready later.”

Zelda found herself smiling. “Well, have the guards been—”

“Princess,” Seres said, stopping her. “Everything is in place. Breathe.”

“I’m just anxious,” she said, more to calm herself than to reassure Seres. “It’s all fine.”

There was a knock on the door as Zelda was getting out of the tub, making sure that all the blood was off her. Seres went up to it and cracked it open to see who it was, holding a hushed conversation before closing it again.

Zelda had gotten the first layer of her dress on when she turned, a look of fear in her eyes. But Seres waved her hands dismissively. “Don’t worry. It was just Finn. He’s just confirmed that everything is set and he’s on guard.”

They finished getting Zelda into a flowing, regal gown that offered her a lot of movement and space to breathe, which she really felt she needed most. The sleeves billowed as she moved, and the light brush of air up her arm was just the distracting triviality that she needed.

She added some light makeup, unlike what she had the day before for her meeting Auru. Though it wasn’t a serious consideration, she almost wished she was able to look like a warrior queen of old: armor, sword, and bloodied patterns across her face made by her own kills. That’s what she felt like, going to face Auru: like she was going to war. Though, her weapons would have to be some fragile pieces of paper and well-placed words.

Staring at her circlet, she wanted a crown. She wanted to show Auru that she wasn’t just some princess, but that she was his equal, and she was as willing as he was to do what it took for her kingdom.

With a steadying breath, she opened the door to make the trek to Auru.

“Link?” Zelda asked, opening the door and seeing his battered form leaning against the wall beside Finn.

At the sound of his name, he grinned, and she was relieved to see _that_ had been undamaged.

Before she could stop herself, she threw herself at him. When she’d seen him the night before, he’d looked horrible. His entire body was purple and blue with fresh, massive bruises, red with splotches of blood or hanging skin, swollen in large lumps. He’d barely been able to breathe when he’d finally settled down in the clinic, clinging to his ribs and coughing each time he tried to inhale.

Now, well, he looked much the same, but as if it had been days since the attack rather than little more than half a day. There were stitches covering the worst of his wounds, and the most notable difference was the swelling, especially around his eye, had gone down significantly, though it was still obvious and present. She was more than thankful for Shad’s immense skill with potions.

Yet, she found herself wrapped in Link’s arms, breathing silent prayers to the gods and goddesses, thanking them for letting him live and bringing him back from his mission to Auru’s camp, no matter if he’d come back with broken bones, fractured ribs, slices on his head and neck, wounds to his leg… he was back _alive_.

Viscen had filled her in on what Link had been doing at Auru’s camp, since she really had no time with Link herself since his arrival.

The thought was enough for her to focus entirely on him, and then to realize that she wasn’t moving with the rise and fall of his chest, rather that he was completely still and unbreathing. True realization hit her and she stepped away from him, guilt on her face as she watched him let out his breath.

“I’m so sorry.”

He made a dismissive face as his hand covered his ribs and he took several more needed breaths to focus through the pain. In the meantime, he looked her over. “You look beautiful.”

It warmed her to hear the simple words. But as he spoke, she could still see that they were a compliment hidden behind a courtesy. After she’d announced to Auru that they’d sign their marriage contract today, she’d seen all his hope for them plummet, despite trusting her.

So, she focused on something else about him. Zelda didn’t want to admit it, but he looked horrible still. “Why are you here? You need rest.”

With a snort that seemed to pain him, he gave her a look, like the answer was obvious. “I have to see whatever you’ve been planning all night.”

“I was going to visit you later,” she said, moving down the hall. She’d completely forgotten Finn and Seres behind them, and those who awaited her. It was just her and Link, even if only for a few seconds.

“You still can,” he tried to laugh, though it ended in him wincing. “I’m not going to be staying with you all day today, in case you didn’t figure that out.”

“No, of course. You shouldn’t even be up.”

“I _hate_ to admit it,” he jested, “but I missed you a little bit. I figured this was worth some pain. Even if I don’t know what you’re doing. No one will fill me in.” He was looking at her with his glinting eyes, a look he often gave her when he flirted, though she was pretty sure he didn’t realize he was doing it.

She didn’t want to tell him what she was going to do, just in case something went terribly wrong.

“You’ll see,” she said instead.

Pushing open the door, open to the room she’d meet Auru in, she could already hear the murmur of the crowd just outside the balcony doors. It would either be a great thing to have such a loud, numerous crowd, or a horrible thing.

King Auru was already inside, wearing a far superior ensemble than Zelda was. He had the fine silk and the real gold embroidery, where she had the best that they could find in Damel. His crown was large, but it was tucked under his arm. When he saw her, he placed it on his head and greeted her without even the pretense of a smile.

She could see Daltus off to the side, stiff and uncomfortable beside Niko, his face tense, and his expression empty. Niko seemed distraught, either the guise of a good actor, or someone who was genuinely upset, like his favorite golden vase had been broken.

Her entourage, which included Viscen, who’d been with Daltus when she entered, stayed against the wall to witness everything from a detached distance.

Auru’s eyes trailed over Zelda in an uncomfortably slow, dragging gaze before settling on her eyes. He crossed the distance between them and gave her his typical greeting, two cheek kisses and an uncomfortable one on the lips. This time, he lingered longer than his usual second, and Zelda pulled away, pulling her arms behind her back so she could fiddle with her fingers anxiously in peace and without his notice.

Auru grabbed the quill off the table and began to mutter to himself, including: “Okay, let’s get this over with.”

Zelda glanced nervously at Daltus, but saw the nearly imperceptible nod of his head. She let her eyes close for one second, and then forced herself to watch Auru sign his name to the bottom of about twenty pages of their marriage contract that she’d had drawn up by a local villager with legal document authority last night. She’d done two copies, and sent one to Auru for him to see. Since he’d said nothing, it seemed he had been happy with it. And since he was signing this copy, she was more than sure.

When he’d finished, he turned to her expectantly and held out the quill. Her hand shook as she took it from him and dipped it into the ink, her hand hovering momentarily over the page before she began signing her name to every page. She stopped only for a moment when, perhaps on the twelfth page or so, she saw the words ‘troops’ before she continued on, letting the pages fall back into place as she replaced the quill.

“Well, that’s done,” Auru said with a small grin. “And the wedding is in the morning, the day after tomorrow?”

“Yes, that’s when it would be.”

He nodded and held out his hand to her as he prepared to step towards the balcony.

She lightly took it in her hand and took one step before pulling his hand back to stop him. “King Auru, wait.”

“What?” he snapped.

Taking several steps so she was in front of him, blocking his path to the balcony, she nervously pushed a piece of hair from her face before meeting his eyes. The look in his was disgusting to her. There was a mix of victory and—though she couldn’t place how she knew—a bit of _evil_ as well. Worse that all that, she could see a hint of lust.

“I think we should tell the people something else,” she said, all nerves lost when she looked at him again. He gave her an impatient look, but let her continue. “I think perhaps we could tell the people about your plot to kill me last night?”

Though there was a brief hint of surprise through his eyes, he remained mostly impassive. “Did I? I wasn’t aware. Please, enlighten me.”

She eyed Viscen, and he grabbed a stack of paper. Auru turned around and Zelda hurried to Viscen’s side, mostly for the safety she felt being closer to the people she trusted. “I knew you underestimated me, but I didn’t know you were _that_ stupid. You _must_ remember writing these letters? Or holding meetings with several fanatical zealots who were willing to risk their lives and sacrifice themselves for you? Oh, or maybe you forgot about the inquisition you were going to hold so you could ‘conveniently’ find all participants and execute them, making yourself look like the hero. Did you forget all that?”

Auru’s eyes darted to his own guards on his side of the room, and Zelda noticed them stiffen as they became more alert. She didn’t have the luxury of turning to see her guards, not only Link and Finn, but the two additional guards for Daltus that were by the door, but she knew they’d noticed Auru’s guards shift in temperament.

“Sounds like a finely woven story by a frightened young girl who doesn’t want to marry me. If that’s all, you should have said something before we signed the contract. I would have just gone home with my troops.”

“I don’t use empty threats or fabricated stories when I threaten people.”

“It’s a threat, then?” Auru laughed.

“It is. You’ll give me your support and your troops to retake Hyrule, and we can part this as neutral parties, all attempts on my life forgotten. I’ll even reestablish trade with your kingdom. If you don’t, every one of my people out there, soldiers and citizens, will know that you and your people tried to kill me. And I know that my soldiers will want to retaliate, especially if I ask them to.”

“So it’s a feeble attempt at blackmail? I did underestimate you, but it seems you are far _less_ than I thought you were.”

Zelda shrugged. “I’d go lower still for my kingdom. I have more proof of your treacherous crimes. So much so that I could order you taken prisoner right here, right now.”

“And then _my_ troops would retaliate. Sound plan, Princess.”

It was one of the many possible outcomes Zelda and Viscen had already planned for, so she managed to keep her expression impassive. “Mine are ready for a threat, though. They’re on alert. Yours aren’t. My commander has only to hear a single word for her to call them to attack your troops. I think surprise is a great advantage.”

Auru’s teeth ground together. “I have a knife, and I could kill you now, if I wanted to.”

Zelda took a deliberate step towards him, despite hearing the steps behind her, likely Link or Finn… or both. “Do it then. Daltus gets Hyrule, as you wanted, but you’d be dead before you can even pull your knife from me, and you’ll be unable to pull Daltus’ strings for Ganondorf.”

His eyes flickered from her, to every one of her guards. “Fine then; show me some of this alleged proof you claim you have.”

She turned to let him move to the table. “Before you try to destroy it, know that we’ve already shown them to the right people. Destroying them is inconvenient, but not an end to all this.” She strode up to Link and looked at his chest, the place where he had Auru’s mark. He nodded in silent understanding, and she stepped back to Auru’s side as he poured through the papers. And he stopped on one letter, looking up.

Zelda turned to Daltus, and he closed his eyes to make himself focus. This was one role he’d requested he be allowed to play. “Guards, please take… Master Niko into custody. Throw him in the cell.”

Auru narrowed his eyes and cracked his knuckles against the table as he watched Niko’s mortified and confused expression as the guards held him.

“Daltus? What’s happening?”

This time, Zelda stepped forward, lightly grabbing Daltus’ hand as she passed. “Niko, you’re being taken on charges of high treason, and attempted murder, as well as collaboration and conspiracy with an enemy of Hyrule. Your letters alone are enough that you face the possibility of a public execution. You are stripped of your title, your lands, your property, and now, your freedom. Your home belongs to the crown, and you are imprisoned at my will. Don’t look at Daltus. He knows what you’ve done.”

She turned back to Auru, ignoring Niko’s cries as he was dragged out of the room.

“You’re a Princess,” Auru spat. “You have no right.”

“I am the uncrowned Queen of Hyrule, Niko is _my_ subject, and I have every right. I could do the same to you and have you imprisoned for the same crimes, save for treason. My own soldier infiltrated your camp and was witness to you personally instructing your people on plans for my murder.”

Link stepped forward and pulled his loose collar down to reveal his wound in the shape of Auru’s seal, already scabbing over.

“You met Link, and you don’t even remember. A shame. If you’d paid more attention to your people, you would have recognized the man Niko described in his letters as my guard.”

Auru grunted out a half-laugh, though nothing about his expression was amused. “So, Princess, you want _what_ from me exactly?”

“Your troops and your support during this war. After, you may go. I don’t need you for anything else.”

He bared his teeth in a wicked smile. “You need me to make heirs to your precious Hyrule, don’t you? You signed that contract, and it’s already been announced to most of the people.”

“I need your _troops_. You can either do as I ask and worry about Ganondorf’s retribution—though if we beat him with your added troops, you won’t have to worry about that— _or_ you can say no and I will take your troops from you by force, though there will be more casualties. I will recall as many of the troops you sold to Ganondorf, imprison you, and whether I win or lose, you’ll be left in a cell to rot. Either you’ll be useless and forgotten about by the Demon King, or safely kept locked away by me, and I’m prepared to fight another war to keep you away from your kingdom long enough to negotiate with whomever takes your place. What’s your answer? What do I walk out there and tell the people? Are we allies, or enemies?”

Auru scoffed and backed away from her. She grabbed the marriage contract off the table and handed a page from the front and several from the back to Viscen before tightly holding it to her chest, waiting.

Auru gestured to the stack at her chest. “Why did you even sign that, if you were going to try to take my troops from me by force?”

Zelda shrugged. “I’ll tell you once you answer me.”

“Fine,” he spat. “You have my troops on your word that you maintain all trade routes and negotiations put into place by your family and myself.”

“Pending my approval of those agreements, yes. If my parents made some deal with you that we’d be wed, that would be something I’d take back off the table. However, you’ll try and recall the soldiers you sold as well. Call on their loyalty to you. I’m sure we can get a few back.”

“I won’t provoke the Demon King. No. That’s non-negotiable.”

Zelda’s lips twitched and she handed the stack of papers over to Auru.

He snatched them from her grip and looked them over, his eyes widening as he read. Flipping to each page, his scowl deepened, and he looked up at her. “You bitch.”

Shrugging once again, Zelda took a step backwards, closer to Finn when she saw the anger in Auru’s eyes. “I told you I’d go lower than _simple_ blackmail.” She turned to Viscen. “Go distribute those to the crowd and burn the first page with the marriage contract on it.”

Auru went to stop Viscen, but every guard moved like a perfect machine. Link took Finn’s place beside Zelda, Finn blocked Auru, and the guard at the door turned to Auru’s guards. Viscen walked through the doors without incident.

“Let’s make that paper official,” she said, moving back toward the balcony, “Or I can expose your attempt on my life. It’s your call.”

“Just because I signed my name to this prattle about your control of my troops doesn’t make it legal.”

“It does actually,” Zelda said with a smile. “I didn’t have time to learn much from my parents, but I was always taught to read every single page before signing my name, even if an advisor has read it previously. You’d have known we switched out the pages. Even without that paper, I had your troops, but it is a bit too satisfying to be proved right when you didn’t even look.”

“So, I receive no marriage, no place in the succession of your line, your control of my troops… what do I get out of this?”

“Not Hyrule,” she laughed. “Not me. Honestly, King Auru, if you didn’t try to kill me to get Hyrule into Daltus’ hands for Ganondorf, I _would_ have married you for the troops. You would have succeeded in taking Hyrule for yourself and then you could have given it to Ganondorf and taken a lesser reward, or kept it for yourself… whatever it is that you wanted. If my people didn’t find it strange that half your army had mysteriously disappeared, they might not have looked much closer at you. Maybe next time, don’t underestimate me or my people. I’m young, and this is new to me, but I’ve endured Ganondorf and the massacre of my friends and family. _You_ don’t frighten me.

“So, we have a large crowd waiting to hear the good news of your unconditional support, or the horrible news of your imprisonment and attempted murder. And believe me, I’m going to make it very clear what your expectations are and what it means if you leave them unfulfilled. You’ll be a coward as well as a traitor. So, which is it going to be?”


	42. Chapter 42

Link blinked away the afternoon light, seeing only shapes and colors.

After Zelda’s and Auru’s joint speech of unconditional support on the balcony that was met by roaring excitement, he’d given several soldiers Zelda’s command that Auru be listened to and followed constantly. When that was done, Link limped back to Shad’s and had been heavily chastised and dosed with another potion, needing a few more hours before Shad’s far more potent one would be ready.

As Link’s eyes adjusted, so too did his body, and he realized that there was an awkward bend in his small mattress. So, looking off to his side, he expected _something_ , but he didn’t expect to see Zelda lying on top of his bed beside him in the clinic, curled up with her head resting on the backboard and a book in her nose.

Leaning forward, he caught a glimpse of the title. _Strong Gazes_. It had him cracking a grin as he leaned back into the wall on his other side.

“Are you reading one of those smutty romance novels when I’m lying right here?”

Zelda nearly dropped the book as she turned to him. Her surprise quickly turned playful, easy. Something he hadn’t seen from her in a long time.

“This is _not_ a romance novel. Though, that would certainly make this more interesting,” she laughed. “I tried reading it once before and I just couldn’t. I still can’t.”

He tried sitting up, wincing as he did, but managing to bring himself closer to her. “What’s it about then?”

There was no wiping the grin from her face as she scooted down so she was beside him, the temples of their heads pressed together as they both looked at the pages.

Link made a face as he read the words. “ _To achieve the perfect level of comfort in any situation, you must first prepare yourself for the daunting task of asserting your authority. And like everything in this life, it comes with the practice and the blessings of the Goddess herself. Before you begin, thank her for her presence in your life. Then find a chair that is beside a table, desk, or otherwise raised surface. Sit in the chair and lean back, but be sure not to sit too far back or you may risk falling over. Once you’ve sat back, lift your feet onto the surface you’ve prepared and rest your arms comfortably behind your head. Stay like that for as long as it takes for you to begin to feel the Goddess’ confidence flowing through you.”_

Zelda made a noise like a chuckle and placed a small object from her lap back between the pages before setting the book down on the ground and turning back to Link. “Not nearly as exciting as you’d hoped.”

“I don’t know,” he mused, “Falling over in your chair because a book told you to lean back is pretty amusing. You don’t need this book though, Zelda. What you did today was impressive. You just took an army from a king. You found every one of his weaknesses and hit him again and again. Toss this stupid book out. You’re far more talented than this weird book is trying for.”

She watched his mouth press into a tight line, suppressing another comment. And judging by the glint in his eyes, she knew exactly what kind of remark it would have been.

“Link,” she chastised with a playful roll of her eyes.

He lightly laughed. “You know me too well.”

“How are you feeling?”

“I’ve been better, and I’ve been worse.”

“So, you’re in pain still? Even with all these potions?”

He nodded, but it was accompanied by a casual shrug. “Pain reminds you that you’re still alive. If I wasn’t in pain after everything, it would be because I was dead.”

Her eyes trailed down to his bare chest, to the bandages and the stitched wounds. The mark of Auru on his chest, old healed scars, bruises that made him look more discolored with purples and greens and yellows of healing bruises. Her eyes went up. His throat, a stitched line straight across it. Bruises on his jaw, dark enough that the light scruff on his face couldn’t cover it, a split lip, and the smallest horizontal white line just to the side of it that she’d never noticed before from an old injury.

“What’s this old one from?” she asked, letting her nail brush against it, too nervous to hurt him with any more pressure than a feather, inadvertently causing him to stiffen under her.

His lips turned up, moving her finger with them. She smiled.

“My tooth went through my lip when I was about fourteen,” he muttered.

“Ew,” she said with a grimace.

“Yeah, not fun.” But his smile broadened as he watched her.

She wasn’t doing anything particular, but just seeing her beside him after being apart, her smile, the way her cheeks turned red the longer he looked at her, the way her tongue snaked out to wet her lips though it was obvious that it was unintentional. Her eyes darted all around him, studying every injury, whether it was covered or not. Her eyes stopped on the bandage swathed around his arm and then down to his two wrapped hands.

Though she was on top of the blanket, and he was under, he kicked his leg out at hers to get her attention.

“I’m fine.”

“I know,” she said quickly, bringing her eyes back up to his. “I just… is it a _bad_ thing that I’m concerned?”

“No. Actually, I really like all the attention you’re giving me. Want to talk about all my scars? Pick one.”

She rolled her eyes and scoffed. “You know how to ruin a moment.”

“Hey,” he said, tapping her from under the blanket again. “My neck hurts and I can’t turn over. Come here.”

She rolled onto her stomach and perched up on her elbows. “How can I help?”

“I just want to be sure of something before I make any more comments to you. You’re not betrothed?”

Shaking her head, she offered him a triumphant smile. “I’m not betrothed, Link.”

She brought her lips to his, but he turned away for a moment to stop her.

“Wait, Zelda I mean it; is this going to be a bad idea? Are you going to have to go marry Prince Midos for a bridge in a few weeks? I don’t understand how it works, and if that’s what’s going to happen, it’s probably better that we don’t have to do that all _again_. I’ve been made very aware of what I _can’t_ do that I almost don’t know what I _can_ do anymore.”

She sighed and rested her arm on his chest before promptly lifting it when she saw him flinch in discomfort, realizing she’d rested right on a deep bruise and added some distance between them. “I don’t know about my future,” she said, as honest as she could be. “If I have my way, _no_ , I will never marry someone just for their political assistance. Auru was proof that I can find another way. What I _want_ is _you_. I just… I don’t know how to do that yet. If you’re okay with keeping it between us, as we’d been doing before… I mean, people seem to figure us out anyway, so it would likely be the worst-kept secret, but we could still be possible. Unless I figure something else out, that’s all I can think of. And if you have any ideas at all, please, let me know. But is that… is that a good enough answer for now? Until there’s another option on the table?”

“Yeah, that’s good.”

He sat up on one of his arms, hoping to hide his grimace, and his other arm slid around her neck and pulled her back down to him. He felt himself crash back down against the pillow, sore from the movement and sucking in a deep breath.

Zelda chuckled as she hovered over him, careful not to touch him. “A little too eager?”

“Dammit, Zelda I can barely move. Just kiss me.”

“I was _trying_ _to_ before.”

“Zelda.”

“What? You turned away from me. You denied your future queen what she wanted. That’s punishable by the same standards.”

“I think you might just like your power a little too much,” he snorted. “But I know I’m not the only one losing out right now.”

“You just said you can’t move,” she laughed. “Technically, I’m being nice.”

“I still have a working mouth and tongue.”

He winked, and Zelda’s eyes bugged out. She fought to keep a relatively neutral expression on her face, though it wasn’t working. “Link!”

“What?” he balked with a wide smile of fake innocence. “I was asking for a kiss. Where’s your mind at, oh future Queen of Hyrule?”

“Oh, stop! This is a clinic, Link! It’s a place of _healing._ The walls are thin, and Shad will hear.”

Link’s eyes glistened and he bit back a grin, unable to stop himself. “Well, that depends on how quiet you can be.”

She covered her face and hoped desperately that the burning red in her face would subside before she could look at him again. She could feel him laughing, the bed shaking, though he was interrupted by a bout of coughing.

“You know that’s _not_ what I meant, right? I meant he can hear you talking about us,” she muttered, peaking out to look at him.

“I know,” he grinned. But he reached out, wincing as his arm left his side to brush against hers where she kept her face hidden. “I’m not _actually_ trying to make you uncomfortable but damn, Zelda, you made it really easy.”

“I wouldn’t say ‘uncomfortable’ is the right word,” she grinned as she shook her head.

He raised his eyebrows and gingerly brought his arm back to his side. “We’ll call it payback for the way chess ended.” She watched his eyes close quickly, sucking in a harsh, pained breath before he turned to meet her stare. He gestured to his arm. “It’s nothing. I just banged into a stitch.”

“It hurts that badly?”

He shook his head. “No, just a sharp pain when I hit it, and then it goes away. Just don’t throw yourself on my arm and it’s fine.”

Zelda made a noise of acknowledgement and moved back over his face, her hair spilling down so it brushed against him. “Okay. I’ll do my best.”

“Thanks,” he muttered, capturing her lips in his with ease.

It started out soft and tender. It was a reminder. But they relaxed into the kiss as if they’d never been parted in the first place, and it became a languid and lazy exploration of the other, for once not feeling the rush of stolen kisses or checking for guards over their shoulders.

Every now and then, Zelda would want to touch Link, and her hand would rest on his chest or by his throat with just too much pressure and he’d hiss into her, his body jerking away in pain before returning to her lips with a light pull on her elbow – the only spot his arm could reach—asking her to come back in the only way he could really to let her know he was still okay.

“Zelda!” a voice called as the door swung open.

Quickly, she finally pulled away from Link and turned to Shad, who’d been too distracted to notice them. “Yes?”

Link snorted at her innocent expression, and it turned Shad’s attention to him. “Oh good, you’re up. How are you doing?”

“Oh,” Link said, casting Zelda a mischievous look that she instantly hid her knowing grin from. “My lips are feeling a little swollen.”

“Really?” Shad hummed, looking at Link’s cut lip with interest. “Odd, but the potion I can give you in a bit should help take care of everything. And Zelda, yours is done.”

“Yours?” Link asked, tapping her so she’d turn her red face back to them. “You made one?”

She nodded, feeling genuinely shy for the first time in a long time. “Shad gave me a lesson. If I can get potions down, then I can move on to internal stitches.”

“So why haven’t I had it then?” he asked.

And he knew it was the right thing to say the as her eyes lit up with excitement.

“Really? You’d try it? It’ll help with some of your pain, but it probably won’t taste great.”

“You have a willing test subject, Zelda. Let me try it.”

She bit her lip in excitement as she slid off the end of the bed and slipped out the door.

“It doesn’t look very promising,” Shad warned him as he peeled off a bandage to check if the potion was speeding up the healing. “It should work effectively, though. The ingredients for healing are all in there.”

“But it will help with pain?” Link asked carefully, sitting up a bit with Shad’s help.

“Yes, why? I have a topical mixture if it’s something on the surface.”

Link glanced at the door and rubbed his chest. “Actually, will you burn this symbol off? I don’t care about the mark it’ll leave, or the pain, but I won’t be keeping a scar like this one.”

“Burning over scars is painful, and dangerous. I wouldn’t advise it until you’re healed. Well, I wouldn’t advise it at all.”

With a casual shrug, Link checked the door one more time. “You do it or I do.”

“Fine. At least I know you’ll have that strong potion afterwards.” He dropped his knife into the fire and watched Zelda hurry back in.

“Okay, I really think it looks bad,” she said, eyeballing the liquid inside the bottle. “I don’t think you should try this one.”

“Give it here,” Link said, holding out his hand slightly. “I’ll tell you what it needs.” She uncapped the bottle and handed it to him. “Well, Zelda, first off, I think you should work on making it a color other than brown.”

Sitting beside him again, Zelda made a face. “Yeah. Probably.”

Link would have taken the potion in a single, swift swig, but the liquid inside was sticky and ran slowly down the side of the bottle. Likewise, it pooled into a thick lump on his tongue, like honey or molasses, but without any of the flavor. And though most potions were room-temperature, somehow, her potion managed to be warm, and not in a soothing way like tea. What it made up for in looks, it made up for in an over-abundance of intense flavors; it tasted like grass rather than herbs, and like water than had run through a dirt filter rather than the contraptions healers used to make the water safe.

And yet somehow, he managed to drink it all down.

He started to cough but held up his hand as he cleared his throat. “It’s definitely too thick,” he noted as she watched him with excited interest. “ _Way_ too thick. But honestly,” and he was being honest, “it’s not as bad as it looks. It looks much worse than it tastes.”

“Are you serious?” she asked as a smile shot across her features. “It wasn’t that bad?”

“Not that bad,” he said, emphasizing the word ‘that’ in his brain. “I think you’ll be a million steps in a better direction just by thinning it out.”

As much as he loved seeing Zelda’s smile, he knew how important this was to her. His suggestion wasn’t a dodge. He knew she’d have to add more water to the potion, and that would take out half the disgusting flavors he could still taste, as well as the thick goop that it was.

But gods, was she smiling.

“I can fix that. If Shad is willing to give me another lesson later, perhaps we can focus very specifically on the consistency?”

“I’d be honored, Princess,” Shad said. He glanced at Link and shook his head, admiring the soldier’s bravery that had nothing to do with the battlefield. But he pushed the thoughts of everyone aside and gestured to his knife. “Ready?”

“For?” Zelda asked, though she’d followed Shad’s eyeline to the knife.

“I want this thing off,” Link said, patting the scar on his chest. “Shad’s going to burn it off for me.”

Letting out a long sound of exasperation, Zelda lightly pulled at her hair. “You know how to stress me out, Link. Burning it off? Are you crazy?”

“Sometimes,” he laughed. “You don’t need to be here, but I’m doing it.”

“Fine,” she muttered, knowing that no argument would lead to both of them being satisfied. “Is this considered a serious procedure?” she asked Shad.

He nodded, grabbing the knife and inspecting it while he kept it over the flame. “Yes it is, and no, you cannot perform it. But if you wouldn’t mind, could you grab something for him to bite down on?”

“Goddess,” she muttered as she rifled through a few things, returning with a belt.

“Okay, Princess, please stay near the door. I need room to maneuver.”

“Right,” she said, hugging her arms to herself. Link winked at her before Shad moved into her line of sight. And once Link began to make muffled, pained noises, she was almost glad that she couldn’t see him, and wasn’t too close to the smell of his burning flesh.

Stepping outside the room, she really understood why the rule was in place that stopped people from working on those they loved. She wasn’t sure she could do that to Link, even if it was what he wanted.

Moving back inside, she grabbed all the mixtures and bandages that Shad would need and set them down. He muttered a thank you as he finished, and she took the knife for him, placing it back in the fire as she listened to Link’s rapid breaths.

“Princess?” Shad asked, “Would you grab the potion from downstairs. This looks a little worse than I thought it would, and I’d like to use the potion now rather than wait between yours and mine.”

When she’d stepped out, Shad finished covering the wound in a light paste that was refreshingly cool before covering it with a bandage.

“Are you satisfied?”

Link nodded and closed his eyes.

Shad wiped some sweat from Link and moved away, taking the potion from Zelda as soon as she walked in and nearly forcing it down Link’s throat.

When it was all gone, Shad nodded to himself. “Okay, that should take effect soon, and you should be feeling significantly better by tomorrow Give it a full day or so. It’s no fairy, but it’s strong enough to get you on your feet. We’ll keep dosing you with potions until it’s time to fight.”

“Thanks, Shad,” Link muttered as the man left them again, closing the door as he ducked into the hall.

“Are you done getting yourself injured?” Zelda asked, arms crossed as she looked over him again.

“Yeah,” he said, scooting over and patting the spot beside him. “Are you going to stay for a bit? I know you have things going on back at the house.”

“I’d rather stay here, at least for a while, if that’s fine with you.”

“I’d hate that,” Link chuckled.

Zelda grinned before looking uncomfortably at the bed, remembering what a challenge it had been to avoid accidently touching him before, and now, he had a giant burn on his skin as well. “I don’t want to hurt you any more than I already have.”

Link looked down at his chest and nodded, scooting back so the spot on his other side was free. He offered her his bandaged hand. “Climb over. There are fewer injuries on that side.”

Zelda made a face but climbed up and practically rolled onto his other side, landing hard into the small space for her on the mattress between him and the wall. She felt herself giggling as she turned to him. “I think I’m meant to be more graceful than that. Sorry.”

Though he couldn’t turn onto his side, his head lolled over to watch her. “You want to—” he stopped himself and just gestured to the blanket.

“Oh, you’re looking for the old days,” Zelda mused as she slipped under and moved closer to him. “One bed at an inn.”

“Mhmm,” he muttered. “Caught me.”

But Zelda’s face turned serious as she stared at him intently and her hand lightly brushed the untarnished skin of his neck, sending a shiver through him. “I thought you were going to die yesterday. There have been times where I’ve been concerned, like when you didn’t come back with everyone in Saria. But I’ve never seen you bleeding so much and stumbling and then that man was on you and I saw his sword in your throat. All I knew was that I couldn’t let you die.

“You spent days in an enemy camp doing _incredible_ things,” she whispered, lightly dragging her fingers down his throat to rest near, though safely away from, his bandaged burn. “You’ve become a leader. Finn and the others look up to you, did you know? He almost seemed a little lost while you were gone. I know Leon was. You’ve made a difference in more lives than just mine.”

Though his movement was limited, he bent his arm so his fingers ran lightly along her cheek.

She smiled into him but didn’t stop. “When you and I met, I was just trying to learn what life without my family meant. Ganondorf had taken away the three most important people in my life right in front of me, and sometimes, I still forget that they’re gone. But Ganondorf gave me one gift: he gave me the most important person in my life _now._ You helped me pick up the pieces of myself that were broken when they died, and then… it’s like you helped build something completely new in their place. You’ve always been more than just a soldier to me, Link.”

Link let his fingers move around, down her neck, up to her ear, anywhere he could reach. He was in too much pain to even turn to kiss her, no matter how badly he wanted to.

“You make me want to be more than I was, Zelda. Even though I know it’s impossible, you make me want to be someone who could be worthy of you.”

She carefully leaned into him and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “You’ve always been worthy. We’ll figure this out if you’re willing to just blindly stumble around in the dark with me on it.”

“ _’Willing_ ,’” he scoffed. “I love you. Gods, I’m _in_ love with you. I was ‘willing’ to follow you while you were on another man’s arm with less than no hope for anything between us other than possibly a strained friendship. I’m ‘willing,’ Zelda.”

She lightly tapped her finger on his chest pensively, though not without a mischievous smile and more than a few excited butterflies banging around in her gut. “Sorry, I couldn’t hear you. What did you say?”

Though his eyes had begun to droop from the effects of the potion, he chuckled and strained to bring his other hand up to cover hers over his chest, stopping her nail from tracing more patterns against him. “You know you’re the biggest tease in Hyrule, right? I’m supposed to be trying to rest.”

“Oh please, you think I’m bad?” she whispered.

He hummed out a laugh, fighting his eyes and body just to look at her for a moment longer. “I can’t keep my—the potion is working fast. I know you have… other things to do. You… you don’t need to stay.”

“What if I want to?”

“Then by all means,” he muttered, feeling her move just a little closer, still careful not to touch him except for the hand he still covered. “Zelda,” he whispered, his eyes barely slits as he looked at her. “Do you want to know a secret?”

She could see, even with him half asleep, that there was something playful in his gaze and she nodded, half expecting some comment about how he’d loved her since the moment she first hit him in her sleep or something like that.

So when he gave her a wide, toothy, lazy grin, she was unsurprised when he perked up at her expectant expression.

“Before I met you, I never used to sleep with a shirt on.”

Zelda found herself shaking her head as she giggled at him. “You’ve been depriving me? And you call me the tease.”

His eyes drifted shut and his head lolled into hers.

“Link?” she tried.

“Mmm?”

Tired from her near sleepless night, she let her own eyes close as well. “I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zelink is back in the building!! It's been far too long!
> 
> Also, I'm going to take a few days off from posting. I'll be back with a new chapter either Sunday or Monday! And if I never post again, it's because I accidentally poisoned myself with my poor cooking skill while trying to cook for the 4th of July!


	43. Chapter 43

After staying with Link for some time, Zelda had gone back to the house to get some work done with Commander Ashei, Daltus, Viscen, and a begrudging Auru. They’d discussed the mansion, which was technically now her property, and what to do with Niko. They discussed troop numbers and locations. Strategies. Outcomes. Contingencies. Anything they could think of. And when they’d finished, Zelda had gone back to Link for the night.

Her room at the house was nearly done being cleaned of all the blood from the attack, so it gave her a decent excuse to stay away for the night. But she and Link returned to the house together in the morning, despite Shad’s advice that Link get a few more hours of rest for the potion to wear off. Link knew that they were on a time crunch, and ignored Shad, though he intended to honor his promise to return in a few more hours for another dose of a potion.

So, as Zelda leaned on a table in Commander Ashei’s office, staring at a map of Hyrule, Link was beside her, studying the markings with a trained eye.

Zelda leaned over the table and bit her lip, trying to make sense of Ashei’s words and map outlines. “I don’t understand. Do we wait for them to arrive here, or no?”

Ashei shook her head. “I don’t believe we can afford to wait. If we do, your parents’ scattered troops could get overwhelmed by Ganondorf’s as they make their way here. We should head out and meet them, or at the very least, draw Ganondorf’s troops’ eyes away from our support. Your parents’ army sought safety wherever they could. We were lucky that most of them thought to join with Prince Daltus, but it wasn’t everyone. We _need_ everyone.”

“And they’ll make a difference?”

“One soldier can make a difference,” she said, pushing something aside. “But yes, I believe they will, especially if Auru’s… or rather, _Ganondorf’s_ troops don’t turn back to aid us, we’ll need every fighter.”

“How long ago did you send word to the Hylian troops? You sent word to the garrisons, right?”

“Before you even arrived here, Princess. It’s harder to find them while they’re scattered, but there are always those who are loyal, and those who can find others. We’ve been calling to everyone we can find since Prince Daltus arrived. I have my fastest people riding out to each of their locations already.”

With a deep breath, Zelda ran her hands along her face. “Okay. And how long will it take us to reach the castle?”

“With our numbers, and most of our people travelling by foot,” she thought for a moment. “I’d say a week, if we don’t dally anywhere too long.”

“Then we should move soon, the next few days, even, correct?”

“Yes, I’d agree with that. With fickle allies such as King Auru, I would like to end this quickly. But Princess,” she hesitated. “Are you sure you want to ride out to the castle with us? I have heard that you are exceptional at working in the medical tent, and on the field, there will be little I can see you doing on Hyrule Field itself without training. It won’t be safe.”

This time, Zelda turned to Link. “What do you think? You’ve been quiet. In your professional opinion, where should I be?”

He made a face, too subtle for Ashei to see. They’d already argued on the way over about Link’s role during the battle. Would he stay with her and protect her? He’d been her guard for months now, and it was what he felt was expected of him. But it wasn’t what he was trained to do. _This fight_ is what he’d been trained to handle, so it made little sense to keep him from it. And of course, Zelda didn’t want to send him into the heat of the battle, but he was trained for just that. She knew his only reservation came from her safety, and Ganondorf’s potential plans to somehow kidnap her, or get her into the castle where he could torture her into ceding the kingdom.

He took a deep breath and kept his eyes locked on hers, shaking his head. “I don’t know. Speaking as your guard, I want you to stay safe, and I _know_ you’ll be safest if you’re with Shad and the others. Your thoughts will be distracted from what’s going on at the castle as well. But, speaking as a regular soldier… I’d fight harder knowing that our Queen was behind us. That you could be there, brave in the face of death and uncertainty, while I’m there fighting for _you_ among other things… it would be inspiring.”

Zelda groaned. “That was not a definitive answer. Which do you lean more towards?”

But Link just shook his head and let his arms rest on the table beside her. “You and I have travelled together for too long for me to have any form of unbiased opinion on this. You’re both my sovereign, and my _friend._ I want you to be safe and as far from a deadly battle and from Ganondorf as possible. So that’s what I would lean towards, despite any better judgement I might have that says otherwise. I’d recommend you stay with Shad in the medical tent for your safety.”

Zelda nodded, understanding that he was too conflicted for any _real_ answer. So, she turned to the commander. “Ashei? Your thoughts?”

“I’m afraid it’s not what you’re looking to hear. My thoughts are the same as Link’s. I would rather see you safe at the medical tent, but I believe the soldiers would benefit from your presence. _You_ are the future of Hyrule, and I want you to stay safe. I would also lean towards you being with Shad. The ultimate decision is yours.”

With a long sigh, Zelda stepped back from the table. “He murdered my family, took my home, threatened and killed my people… I have to be there.”

Link nodded. “And I think both Ashei and I understand that. I’d want the same if I were you. But that means we need to think of guards, because there is no way you’re going out there without _at least_ four of us beside you at all times.”

“Link…” Zelda groaned, knowing that they were about to get right back into the topic from the morning. “Where do _you_ want to go?”

“If Ganondorf wasn’t a factor, I’d ask to be in the first wave. But he is a factor, and he’s going to plan _something._ So, if you’re going out there, I think it should be Finn and I with you, at least. I think we know you best and are probably most willing to die for you if he shows up.”

Zelda scoffed at his comment. All morning, all he’d talked about was dying in the battle in some way or another. Like he was now.

Ashei made a face. “Link, many of the troops recognize you as a higher position than you are. Your presence acts like hers does. You should be with us in the battle.”

“Princess?” Link asked, shooting her the same look she’d given him. “Your thoughts?”

“I’m not unbiased enough to offer an opinion,” she countered. Because like Link, she wanted him to be safe, but she knew where he would do the most good during the battle, and it wasn’t by her side.

“Commander?” Link said, “You’re the only one who isn’t predisposed to an answer here.”

Zelda closed her eyes, already knowing what Ashei would say.

“Well, the Princess has the final word, of course, but I think you should be out there. The Princess is the farthest from the battle, on horseback, and surrounded by guards. She’s in the safest position one can be in out there. And Finn should be out there with you. We have too many undertrained volunteers, and soldiers with experience like you two are necessary.”

“Fine,” Zelda agreed. “But I take Bardo and Leon with me. I feel safe with them, and that won’t be negotiated. They don’t have nearly much practical experience as you two have, but they’re also not untrained. You pick two others you think are appropriate.”

Ashei tapped the table. “How do you both feel about Kasuto and Ezlo?”

Link nodded in agreement but deferred to Zelda. She shrugged, not knowing them nearly as well.

But she trusted the two beside her. And that was how they proceeded to plan out as much of the battle as possible.

* * *

Seres moved the pillows on the couch for the fourth time, stepping back to get a look from a distance. Shaking her head and making a noise of disapproval, she went back to change the order of them once again.

“What are you doing?”

Her head shot up to see Finn in the doorway, looking at her with such a confused expression that she had to look away from, embarrassed with herself as she stared at the pillows.

“The Princess had a meeting last night. Since we’ll be leaving here shortly, they are turning the house into a home for refugees and those who are unable to fight. I’m… rearranging the pillows for when people arrive. They deserve to have everything perfect. They’re coming from horrible situations, burned homes, having a lack of food.”

Finn walked into the room and glanced over the top of the couch to see. “You know they’re just going to be grateful for a safe place to be, right? None of them will care about the order of these pillows.”

“Well _I_ care. If I can make something perfect, I’m going to.”

“Okay,” Finn said, backing up to the door. “Have you seen Link today?”

“The Princess returned with him and I believe they went to meet with Commander Ashei. They should still be here.”

“But have you _seen_ him?”

“Oh, yes,” she said, realizing what he meant. “He is looking much better today. He was walking almost normally when I saw him, though he did seem to be limping a bit.”

Finn nodded and leaned against the doorframe, staring absently into the room. He was more than grateful his friend had made it. The way he’d looked…

“Finn?” Seres asked, raising her eyebrows.

He blinked a few times, realizing that his absent stare had actually been _at_ her. “Sorry. Yeah, I’m glad he looked better. I have to go find him, actually. A couple of final things to go over. Thanks for your help. And seriously, the pillows look fine.”

She grinned her thanks and waited for him to leave before switching around just two more, satisfied.

“Good,” she muttered to herself as she decided to leave that room before she could fuss with them again. She knew that for the rest of the day, she’d have to develop tunnel vision to avoid fixing anything she deemed out of place.

Heading down the hall and down a small set of stairs that led to the servants’ rooms, she quickly plucked her cloak from the hanger by the door and threw it over her shoulders before heading out the door and past the guards.

She pushed her way through Damel. Since the announcement King Auru and Princess Zelda had made, the people were much busier than usual. They were preparing their homes, stocking up on food, or spending final days with loved ones on brisk outings through the markets, chatting while side-by-side and taking up the precious shoulder space of the streets.

Finally, she ducked into a building and stretched out her arms in the space. There were three others who were already standing by a table, and she craned her neck to see beyond them.

That’s when one woman looked up and smiled as she saw her. “Seres! Good, I’m glad you got my message. They’re all ready for you.”

The woman went to move, but Seres held her hand out. “There’s no rush. She doesn’t need them this instant. Please, finish.”

With a thankful grin, the woman smiled and returned her attention to the other two beside her.

It left Seres to wander the room, staring in awe at the incredible silks and other fabrics that she couldn’t ever fathom owning. Her fingers ran over a decorative tuille that hung off a dress, wondering how long it had taken to create such an intricate design on the storefront samples that the seamstress sett out for others to view.

It was a while until the two passed her and left the room, but she turned to the woman at the table who was watching her with a kind smile.

“You like these dresses?”

“They’re impractical for me,” she said, letting go of the sleeve of the most recent one she’d been viewing. “But who doesn’t imagine themselves in a gown fit for a princess every once in a while?”

“How true. Come on. I’ll show you what I have for the Princess.”

“Thank you, Anju,” Seres said as she followed her into a room in the back.

Anju closed the door and began rummaging through several things before pulling out a boned bodice, plain and simple, though it looked sturdier than usual. And, as if she’d read Seres’ mind, Anju knocked her knuckle against the center.

“The center is reinforced with a metal plate so she’s both protected from sharp objects and supported as well. The straps on the back are thicker to help support the strain she’ll feel from carrying such a heavy piece on the front. It’s placed so she still has the ease of movement, though. Riding a horse should be no problem.”

Seres nodded, inspecting it herself.

But Anju was already pulling more from where she’d stored everything. “This, I needed to outsource. It goes directly over the bodice.”

Seres heard the clinging of chainmail before she saw it. Impractical for any actual soldier, simply because of it’s much more compact, lighter design, was a piece of chainmail that looked identical to the bodice, covering the entire torso. It offered more coverage, but combined with the metal plate, her center was almost indestructibly covered.

“It goes directly over her head. It shouldn’t be snug, but she will certainly need help getting it off. These two pieces alone will be fairly heavy on her, and as I understand it, she has no physical training like the soldiers do, so we took off the sleeves so she could move more freely. Unless she plans to quite literally charge into the battle, it should be sufficient. Her heart is well-protected as well.”

Anju pulled out a long, dark top with an elaborately stitched golden pattern and purple flower-like designs that almost seemed to glow. “This is a normal shirt to go over the armor. She should still look regal.”

“Of course,” Seres muttered, hoping Zelda knew just how many layers to be prepared for.

“And here, specially made, an armored circlet!” Taking this one out, Anju looked particularly pleased with herself. “It should fall directly over her temples to protect them while retaining this crown-like appearance, and it’s made of strong metal links, similar to the chainmail itself.” She rummaged again. “And here, her true armor. I did not make this, though the design is mine.”

Seres gaped at the fitted piece of shining silver armor that looked like it was made perfectly to her size, unlike some other armor she’d seen on soldiers. On the chest, there was an etched design of the symbol of the Royal Family of Hyrule: the Triforce with an elaborate wing-like pattern behind it.

“You know how to put this all on so far, right?” Anju asked, turning to grab something else from a different spot in the room.

“Not really, but it looks fairly standard, just a bit more secure.”

“That’s right, hun, Nothing to it!”

She pulled out dark, tight legging-like pants, unsupportive, but offering the freedom of movement. Then, she pulled a heavy ball of chainmail out and spread it out. “This goes around her waist and will fall to protect her from behind and from the sides. I was told she’d be on a horse, so I was less concerned with the bottoms. But here are her boots.”

Seres tapped them, feeling the metal tabs inside the fabric, only breaking where a piece of her body needed to bend. “These go up to her thighs. It’s why the pants are so fitted. But there you have it! Armor for a Princess. And don’t worry, Prince Daltus sent the rupees on ahead, so it’s all paid for. Do you need help carrying it back?”

Lifting and testing just a few pieces of the armor, Seres nodded. “Yes, that would be best, I think.”

“Okay, you can go on back, and I’ll send two of my boys to the big house with everything.”

And Seres did just that.

When she finally had all the pieces of armor, she went to place them in Zelda’s closet, she noticed that her two guards were standing by the staircases, the place they went when they wanted to offer Zelda some privacy.

“Is she back in her room?” Seres asked, glancing down the hall and seeing the door cracked open.

“She is.”

“Thank you,” she said, brushing past him to reach the door.

She peaked inside the crack first, just to be sure she wasn’t about to barge in while she was asleep and start talking or anything. But she saw her sitting on her bed, Link resting across her lap telling an exaggerated story with his hands flailing wildly around. Zelda looked down, watching him with a fond smile as one hand absently played with his hair. She stopped only to laugh at something he’d said before her fingers twirled around a longer piece of hair and then raked everything back with her nails. Despite Zelda’s calm demeanor, she looked enraptured in whatever Link was saying.

Seres hadn’t wanted to interrupt Zelda’s sleep, but interrupting this moment almost seemed worse. She always felt a pang of sharp pity for the two of them, knowing that they were fated together by whichever god or goddess had the cruelest sense of humor. She wanted to let them have their stolen moments. But Goddess, Seres couldn’t bear the weight of the armor any longer and accidently crashed into the doorframe, making off like she’d intentionally knocked on the door.

“Princess? It’s Seres, may I come in?” she said quickly, so as not to frighten either one of them. Both were on alert all the time, and the last time there had been a bang at Zelda’s door, a beast of a soldier and blood-soaked Link had plowed into her room before turning it into a graveyard.

“Yes, come in,” Zelda called back.

She eased her way through the door, noticing how Link was in no hurry to jump away from Zelda. Seres knew that she was trusted with their most precious secret. She wasn’t even sure if Finn knew.

Seres bowed her head quickly. “I apologize, I didn’t realize you were back.”

“We really only just returned,” Zelda said.

Link saw Seres strain under the weight of all the bunched-up armor, and he sprung up to grab it for her.

“Thank you,” Seres muttered, and Link flashed her a handsome grin. She could see how one could easily be smitten by his effortless charms that she’d been witness to several times. Though—and Seres was probably the one most relieved—Seres never could see Link in any romantic way. Perhaps it was because she’d been able to witness just how well he and Zelda went together.

“You’re looking so much better, Master Link,” she said with a kind smile of her own as Link set the items down on the bed. Seres began to sort through the clothes that had become a bit of a blob as they’d gone from her to Link. “How are you feeling?”

She caught his sidelong look at Zelda before sighing. “About 80% better. Shad has a few more potions to get me the rest of the way. The ribs aren’t healing well, though. Bones, you know?”

“I… can’t say I do know,” Seres admitted. She’d taken potions when physically ill, but never had she experienced even remotely what he’d gone through.

Zelda answered, taking a piece of the armor into her lap to examine it with a broad smile. “Potions like the one Shad made for Link speed up the healing process, specifically with lacerations and stab wounds. Bones are made up of a different material than blood and skin, so it would require an altogether different potion. But we aren’t meant to drink that many potions all at once. Link would get very sick, so his ribs are healing on a smaller scale, thanks to the potions, but not at the same rate as his wounds. For bones, he’d need a more potent combination of leafy greens and herbs with tree bark that, when ground together and sifted, will make for a much more effective potion than the one he has now, which relies far more on the natural juices found in thick plants and fruits.”

Link snorted. “It’s like you just pulled a textbook from somewhere.”

But she made a face and grabbed a different piece of armor as she spoke. “Are you doubting my repertoire of medical knowledge? I know _making_ potions isn’t my strongest suit yet, and for that I’m sorry for the sake of your stomach, but I still know what I’m talking about.”

“For the record, Your Highness,” he scoffed with a lighthearted glint in his eyes. “About 0% of me was being sarcastic. I think you knowing that off the top of your head is…” he stopped himself and turned to Seres with a flustered wave of his hand, stopping whatever word he was about to say and opting for something else. “…educational.”

Seres noticed Zelda turn a shade redder as she leaned forward to whack his arm.

“Do you see what she does to me?” Link asked, playfully rubbing his arm.

But Seres shrugged, amused. “She’s the future Queen. I only see what she wants me to see.”

“Well said!” Zelda laughed, standing beside Seres. But Zelda paused and pulled the girl into a tight hug, overcome with a sudden emotion. “Thank you, Seres, for everything you’ve done so far. You’ve been a friend to me, not a servant.”

Seres returned the embrace but began to rub a comforting circle on Zelda’s back when she felt a sudden tension in the Princess.

Zelda pulled away after a moment and crossed her arms. “I actually wanted to know where you were planning to be during the battle. Are you going to the medical tent to volunteer?”

Though she didn’t mean to, Seres blanched. “No, I don’t have the stomach or the nerves for it. I would ride beside you, if you’d like.”

Biting back a touched smile, Zelda shook her head. “No but thank you. I’ve already been informed that _I_ shouldn’t even be there. It’s not safe. But I was wondering how you’d feel if I asked you to stay here and run the house. It’ll be overrun with refugees, and people who need someone strong to handle everything while we’re gone.”

Seres’ eyes bugged out. “You want me to take Master Niko’s place? Take over his responsibilities? I’m a servant! I could never! There are none who would respect me. They’ll immediately call for a noble.”

“Just while we’re away. And if they have any problems with you, I’ll deal with them before we leave. You’re the only one I trust with this.”

“What about Master Niko?”

Zelda glanced uneasily at Link. “We’re going to deal with him after Ganondorf. He’ll need to be executed, and it would need to be done properly because of his status. We don’t have that kind of time to spare right now. He can just stay in that cell until our return.”

“Seres,” Link said, leaning forward onto his knees from where he sat. “You’re already doing two jobs with Zelda and your old duties, so we all know you’re a great mult-tasker. You’re organized. You’re kind. And most importantly, you’re calm. When Finn found us, he said you were obsessing over making pillows perfect for the refugees. That’s heart in a small act of kindness.”

Zelda nodded in agreement. “These people need someone to look out for them, and I believe—and Daltus too, believe it or not—that you should be the one to handle this task. We all trust you.”

And Seres felt a single tear fall down her cheeks as she nodded her head, agreeing to a task she’d never dreamed she’d have to undertake.

But they trusted her.

And it was worth trying.


	44. Chapter 44

Zelda had never sat through a more awkward meal in her life.

She and King Auru sat at either ends of the table, both pointedly avoiding eye contact. Daltus sat on Zelda’s right, keeping his nose in his plate. They’d invited Commander Ashei to dine with them, specifically to talk about battle plans, but so far, there was very little talking at all.

“So,” Daltus said once everyone was nearly done with their plates. “When do we march on the castle?”

Commander Ashei looked up and set her fork down, glad to finally have the conversation she was summoned specifically to have.

“The soldiers have been ready to march for some time. They’ve known that it would happen soon, so they are ready. There are still fragments of King Nohansen and Queen Llyan’s forces out there, and I believe we should all rest tonight, and leave by tomorrow afternoon. We want to try to push our advantage while we have it, and everyone is getting anxious just sitting here.”

“I believe we should wait to see if some of my people return to me,” King Auru muttered, moving a piece of meat around his plate with his fork before stabbing aggressively into it. “You’ve said yourself that we need people.”

“I think we should listen to the Commander, Auru,” Zelda grumbled. “She’s the one who does this for a living. We don’t. If she believes it’s best to move, then we should move.”

“I agree with my cousin,” Daltus said, though he still didn’t have the same confident attitude that she’d always known from him. It was a resigned alliance. He accepted his loss and simply wanted to move on.

“Then it’s settled,” Zelda said, casting a quick glance to where Link stood by the door as she heard Auru shift uncomfortably in his seat. Link nodded at her, assuring her that he was watching Auru.

Ashei cleared her throat. “I’ll leave now to inform the troops that they should grab their things and spend a final night with their families. I advise everyone to get a decent amount of sleep, as tomorrow will be hectic. We could leave at noon. It will be a hike there, so we should move as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

“You and I have discussed my guards,” Zelda said before Ashei could stand, “but both Daltus and Auru will also be on the battlefield. They have their own guards. Are there any other special positions we need to know about before you go?”

“Um,” she said, thinking. “Your man Viscen is leading several scouts ahead. I’ll be sending them out in a few hours. I believe he will be trying to get a read on Ganondorf’s specific location, though he’s a bit cryptic about that. His team is well-crafted though. I trust that they know what they’re doing. We also have many soldiers who will be riding into battle on their horses. We’ve had as many pieces of armor made as we can for their steeds.”

Again, Zelda’s eyes flickered to Link’s. He shook his head. He wasn’t going to be riding any of them.

“We’ll meet in front of the barracks in the morning before we plan to leave then?” Zelda suggested. Daltus nodded, and Auru begrudgingly made a noise.

“Wear armor,” Ashei said, standing. “Once we move, we’ll be a noticeable target. We could be set upon at any time. King Auru, I know you do, but Prince and Princess, do you both have armor?”

“Yes,” Zelda said. “I got mine today.”

“I have something somewhere,” Daltus said, already zoning out as he visibly thought of where he’d put it. “I marched here with two pieces.” He stood and began mumbling to himself. “I’ll see you both tomorrow. I am going to look for it, and then I am going to sleep as best I can.”

Auru followed suit, though his dismissal was a curt head nod and a sharp: “Zelda” as a ‘courtesy.’

She was left at the table when Ashei took off, and Zelda turned to Link again.

“Well, that was rough. Want any of the food?”

He grinned and strode over to the table and made a plate of the food from the center. “I always knew it paid to have friends in high places,” he joked as he followed her back to their rooms.

“For the food,” she snorted, eyeing the assortment he’d carried away. She reached over and quickly grabbed a baby carrot, plopping it into her mouth before he could say anything.

But he simply hurried his steps so he was beside her rather than behind. “I hate cooked carrots. You can have them.”

“Why’d you take them then?” she asked, not arguing with his offer as she took another.

“When someone offers you a royal meal, you take some of everything.”

“You should have seen some of the meals back home, especially during festivals or celebration days. The hall would be filled, and people would just go up and eat off of several long tables, and trays that were brought around. Aelia knocked one of those right out of someone’s hand once and was so embarrassed that she started to cry, so I gave myself a little pep-talk and then purposefully crashed into this gorgeous ice sculpture and it shattered into millions of pieces. Oh, it was embarrassing, but no one remembered Aelia knocking the food over.”

“You’re a good sister,” Link said, nudging her.

But Zelda just managed to shake her head as a sad look overtook her. “I _was._ At least, I _hope_ I was.”

“Hey.” He grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “You’re still a sister, and you’re still a good one. You’re fighting for her, for your family, for their memories.”

“Mmm,” she muttered, not wanting to comment on that again. She certainly still didn’t feel like a daughter or a sister anymore. Not when the people responsible for giving her those roles were dead.

He understood her dismissal and popped another piece of food in his mouth as they reached their rooms. The guards were at either end of the hall, guarding the stairs, so Link didn’t have to whisper too softly. “I’ve got to go find that potion I was supposed to take. Want some company for a bit after? Or you going to go right to sleep?”

Zelda took the plate from his hands and popped another carrot in her mouth. “You can use the door this time.”

“That’s never fun. Unlock your window,” he snorted, ducking into his room before she could protest.

Rolling her eyes, she went back inside and set his plate on the small table she hadn’t really used before that sat in the corner of her room, and then she unlocked the small latch that kept her window sealed. She leaned out into the air and tried not to think about tomorrow.

Thankfully, her attention was averted as Link slid out his window with ease, a feat that actually made her breathe a sigh. He was moving significantly better, despite his ribs.

He chuckled when he saw her. “You’re waiting for me?”

She just shrugged. “If you fall and die, I’d like to be the first to know.”

“What a comfort.” He slid across the ledge and hopped down with his usual grace, though his hand went to his side when he landed. It was a reflex, like he wasn’t even aware of it, but Zelda saw.

She stepped aside to let him in and gestured to the table where she’d left his plate before taking the seat across from his and relaxing into the chair with a comfort that she just couldn’t manage while being stared at by all the eyes that were on them in the dining room.

She and Link didn’t speak while he ate. They didn’t need to. Their silence was comfortable, unlike the one that had occurred throughout dinner. When he’d finished, they spent some time just talking, the way they’d done in the past but hadn’t had a chance to really do recently. It was calming, and undoubtably one of her favorite things about Link. He lit up when he told stories, seeing an entire world in front of him that he could describe to perfection and make Zelda feel like she’d been there.

It wasn’t wine, but they both sipped on some of the water that Zelda had in her room, sharing the single glass between them, though she had refills available. And though they’d thought they’d told each other every story about themselves, they somehow found more.

Seres knocked on the door and let herself in, wondering to herself why she was still surprised when she saw Link in the room.

“I didn’t know if you wanted help getting ready for the night,” Seres said, her eyes darting between Zelda and Link.

“Oh,” Zelda said, forgetting that she wasn’t already comfortable. “No, I’ll manage later. You should be getting some rest as well. We’re leaving tomorrow afternoon.”

“I heard.”

“You’ll be great, Seres. Don’t worry.”

“If you say so, Princess,” Seres said with an attempt at a grin. But it came across as forced and worried.

Zelda nodded and pulled her legs up against her chest. “I do. Go, get some rest. Breathe.”

That time, Seres smiled slightly. “You as well… both of you. I’ll see you in the morning, Princess.”

She left, closing the door behind her with the faintest sound. Zelda wondered how she could so quietly manage to do everything. It would likely help her to run the house while they were away… and if they never came back, she was sure that Seres would find a way to keep enhancing that skill, perhaps work her way into owning and managing a building of her own one day.

“You look distracted,” Link said, leaning forward. “Nervous?”

“A little,” she admitted. “It’s just becoming so real now.”

Link understood the feeling. He’d been in this situation plenty of times. “If you want, I’ll play Three Heart Draw with you. That will take your mind off it for a bit.”

Zelda grinned. “I _do_ like that game.”

“We’ll finally determine which of us is the superior player.”

She rolled her eyes at him and went to grab the deck of cards by her bedside table.

But as she was searching, Link appeared behind her and reached around her to pick something up. “Is this my chess piece?”

Acutely aware that she was now pinned between Link and the small end table, she resolved to lean back into him. Almost on instinct, his other arm reached around her waist to hold her there.

“It’s not technically _your_ chess piece. We did steal it.”

“ _I’m_ not the one who stole it,” he reminded her, putting the piece back down and brushing her hair aside to allow him access to her neck where he placed several featherlight kisses from her shoulder blade to her ear, listening to the sound of her hitched breaths as he did. His fingers found purchase on her arms, idly trailing past her wrist to the crook of her elbow and then back down again.

She could barely call it a touch, but it sent goosebumps up her arm all the same, as the light breath from his nose sent chills down her spine.

“You stopped looking for the cards,” he whispered into her neck, smugly smiling into her before returning his attention back to her soft skin.

“You’re making it very difficult to focus,” she said, turning her head towards him so the new angle made it impossible for him to continue.

But despite his loss, he knew what she wanted, and their lips crashed together at once, enthusiastically so, after all the soft, safe kisses they’d shared for Link’s sake as he was healing. And that thought occurred to Zelda too late, only after she spun around to fully face him, her body flush against his as they held the other tightly.

She could feel him wince, and she immediately pulled away, though Link’s arm kept her too close.

“Gods, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

He could see concern start to cloud her features, and he found himself laughing, though it was to himself rather than _at_ her. “You can if you want to.”

She rolled her eyes, but the sharp concern softened the longer she looked at him and his goofy grin. “You’re something, Link.”

“I’m nothing if not serious,” he chuckled. “You’re not hurting me. Not the way you think.”

He pulled her back against him and she gasped into him as he brought his lips to hers again. They felt a brief surge pass between them, like electricity only _different._ The soft noises that escaped from them both and the rhythm of their racing hearts mixed together to become a song that they desperately matched the beat of every fervent kiss to.

Zelda spread her fingers along the contours of his face to learn every intricacy of him, tickled by the short hairs on his chin and along his jaw. And then, she quickly realized she wanted to memorize more than just his face and tugged at his shirt, silently asking him to take it off. She’d have done it herself—and without all the lazy teasing motions Link made to show off every ripple of muscle on his chest—if she wasn’t so concerned with brushing up against his burn or banging into his ribs.

Link let her push him off to the side, guiding him to a wall where she had a bit more purchase as her hands roamed around freely and to her heart’s content. And though he wouldn’t call himself the person with the most self-control in the world, he _let_ himself enjoy the tantalizing feel of Zelda’s hands and mouth against him.

But the more he let himself _feel_ , the more he realized that he was doing it again: selfishly putting them in a situation that they’d struggle to find a way out of. 

Link, a simple soldier, thought there would never be a time that he’d say ‘no’ to her. And while he certainly wanted to say ‘yes’ to every move she made, every brush of her fingers, every sharp breath she drew out of him, he had to hesitate when Zelda tried to reach behind her to find the small button that fastened the top layer of her dress, one of several layers that she desperately longed to be free of.

“Zelda,” he whispered, because if he didn’t, she _wouldn’t_. Because it had all been drilled into his head repeatedly. He was a soldier. Nothing more. Someone people sent out to die for others’ sakes. A pawn on a chessboard, easily sacrificed. Worth little in the grander scheme of things. And Zelda was worth more than he could ever be.

“I want this, gods, I want _you_ more than you know. But this is where it’s abundantly clear that you’re the Princess of Hyrule and I’m no one. If I die in a few days, there are very few people who will mourn me, because I’m just a soldier. But you, you’re like the Goddess herself, and the sky would weep for you if you got so much as a scratch. You’re the future. I’m just some guy that fell in love with the only woman in this world that he can’t keep.”

It was the same argument from the morning with Ashei. The same disagreement they’d had in the past. The same belief he’d held since they first met and he offered to let her kill him to escape a prison cell. The same deeply ingrained idea that he would inevitably hurt anyone he let in, so he was prepared to die alone.

“Stop,” she said, grabbing the sides of his face to get him to look at her. “I love you. Do I not get a say?”

“It’s just better if I leave. One less thing that you’ll have to live with when I’m gone. You _know_ that I’m dead when Ganondorf finds me. You know that I might die just fighting, like the good soldier I was raised to be. I was trained to die. You love me? Well you don’t deserve to have someone else you love die on you, but it’s going to happen. I’m weak around you, and I do things I shouldn’t. I say things that I have no right to ever say to you. And right now, I have this moment where I can do the right thing.”

“Link,” she whispered, his name a caress from her lips in itself. “I know that’s what you believe. I understand that you think distancing yourself will help ease some pain for me _if_ anything were to happen to you. But that’s _not_ how I feel. If one or both of us dies at the castle, I want to _live_ now. And you make me feel alive in a way no one else ever has. If we die tomorrow morning, I want to have lived one night with you. And if we die in a week or a year or eighty years from now, I want to have lived my life with you. So stop thinking about your death, and start thinking about our life. Because even if I can count the days I have left, I’d want to live them fully with you, not hide from it alone.

“Soldier? Princess? The rest of the world might care, but I don’t. To me, you’re not some soldier. You’ve _never_ been a nobody. You’re Link Forrester, the man who made me fall in love with him. And I hope to you, I’m just Zelda, not Her Royal Highness, Princess Zelda Aravis Thaisa Hyrule, heir apparent to the Kingdom of Hyrule and all its Territories. That’s my title. It’s my job. It’s not _me_.

“So you can leave if that’s what you want or need, and I would never think any less of you, but it better not be because you’re thinking about our jobs, titles, or death. I refuse to care about those things getting in the way, and neither should you.”

Link’s hand hovered just beyond hers, and she watched him struggle internally. To him, she deserved someone _more_ than a soldier. Someone who could give her a life. Daltus’ words still burned him. On the day he’d hit Zelda, he’d reminded him again and again just what Link was, just what his future with her would be, always just out of reach, forced to watch her life move forward.

Zelda grabbed his hand. “Link?”

“I hear you,” he said quickly. He ran a hand through his hair and smirked at her. “Did you say _eighty years_? You really think you could deal with me for that long?”

“Probably not,” she laughed. “We’ll go with seventy-nine.”

“Man,” he mused, “You’ve got us _old._ We’ll be prunes.”

“Rude. I won’t be a prune. You’re older, you have to be the one with more wrinkles.”

With the snarkiest grin she’d ever seen from him, he gestured to his bare chest. “Wrinkles? Me?”

“Your modesty is your finest feature, Link,” she snorted, resting her hands lightly against him.

His nose brushed her ear and he lowered his voice to barely a whisper. “One night or seventy-nine years, then. Let’s live them. I love you, _just_ Zelda.”

“I love you, Link Forrester.”

She ran her hand through his hair and enjoyed a seemingly unending moment of being completely swallowed in the space between them that was filled with nothing but them: their eyes, their smiles, their breath.

Link’s fingers moved on the button behind her neck that she’d been reaching for earlier. Pulling the button through the hole, he hesitated. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She didn’t move to help him, allowing him the unhindered opportunity to stop or continue. She’d heard his argument in the past, and she knew how deeply rooted it was in his mind. He’d never planned on living long, let alone long enough to let someone in. It had to be his choice to keep going, because he knew exactly where she stood. So as much as she wanted to run her hands along his bare chest, or drag him down to her for a passionate, incessant kiss, she fought back the desire and let Link take the lead for a while.

He moved his head back to look at her, and she was relieved to see that his flirty glint was back in his eyes rather than a desperate look of forced self-control as he guided the top layer of her dress to the ground. Though it only really exposed her collarbones and upper arms, he smiled and tugged her closer, his hands glided along all the newly revealed skin and to her neck as he kissed her, tilting her head back for a deeper kiss.

When his hands moved down her spine, he had to break the kiss to chuckle. She joined him, knowing exactly why. “You finally get to learn just how many laces this thing has."

"Gods, I can’t believe you wear this.”

“Help me take it off then,” Zelda laughed.

“Turn around,” he said, and the small command had Zelda warmer than she’d expected. 

She did and craned her neck to watch his face as he examined the intricate pattern that Seres tied her in every day.

“This thing is insane. Where’s it even start?”

He gave one of the laces a light tug, and she felt it tighten. She shook her head, fighting another laugh at him. “Goddess, wrong way, Link!”

“Can’t I just use my knife?”

“No!” she balked as a giggle escaped her. “You’re always saying not to doubt your talents.”

His fingers were ardently at work as he bent to kiss her neck again, though it was decidedly _not_ featherlight, as he’d been before. And after a several opened mouth kisses to her neck that had her mind foggy, she heard him let out a grunt of frustration and a muttered curse as his fingers moved quickly but inefficiently on the laces.

She moved her hair aside to cast a backwards glance at him. Her eyes were dark with lust, but soft with patience and love. Still, she reveled in the moments when she could perfectly tease Link the way he often did to her.

“Take your time, Link,” she muttered. He looked up to meet her eyes and saw the playful glint in them that he so often sported. “We have _all_ night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANNNND there goes that moral high ground they'd both been trying to stand on! Finally! 
> 
> I'll just say it here that the next chapter starts the next morning, NOT immediately after this, so there's nothing explicit in it. Obviously, there's a fair bit of insinuation going on, but I can't write smut to save my damn life, so it's better left to the imagination anyway bahahaha!! Figured I'd just get that out there in case there are people who read the end this chapter and are like hard pass on the next one if it's explicit. It's not.


	45. Chapter 45

Zelda woke up for the second time that morning.

She’d actually intended to wake up for good the first time, but she and Link had… other ideas. Afterwards, they’d convinced themselves that it was still early enough that they just didn’t need to leave the bed, and after their fairly sleepless night, both dozed off again.

This time, she woke up completely tangled in Link. Their legs were locked together, and she managed to sleep with about half her torso on top of his. Despite the mildly contorted position, they were both comfortable, or at least, neither had any desire to move.

When she woke up, she made no attempt to stir, especially not when she became acutely aware of one finger that lazily trailed slowly up her spine, tracing a loose figure eight into her neck, and then all the way down to the small of her back where he did the same thing.

And though she tried to feign sleep, her body betrayed her, involuntarily arching into him. She turned her head to him with a guilty grin on her face.

He chuckled and paused to kiss her before returning to her spine with more fingers, drumming a light pattern as they moved. It sent shivers through her as they roamed around her back, and she pressed into Link again with a roll of her eyes. He was _very_ quick to learn the sensitive spots that had her body moving without her command.

“Good morning,” he whispered, like he was afraid to break the calm silence of only the birds singing distantly outside.

“Again,” she laughed.

“Yeah, again.”

“Did you get any sleep at all?” she asked. It was a genuine question, but Link’s eyes narrowed in a playfully expression.

“Not really,” he finally answered. “I’ll sleep later when we stop for the night, or on the horse if we don’t. Unless you’re anywhere near me, then there’s no guarantees. You’re dangerous.”

“ _I’m_ dangerous?” she repeated, pulling herself up a bit.

She could see _every_ scar on him, some that had literally torn his skin to pieces before healing, and some so small she hadn’t even noticed them until she’d been close to him; his deeply bruised ribs still looked painful, and his burn was still covered by a bandage, but that was the only part of him that was left unexposed.

She’d deliberately favored his other side as often as she could remember to do so, like when she’d slept beside him, but she was almost positive that some of the aggravation to his ribs had been her fault, forgetting—like he also had until _much_ later—that he was injured at all.

She leaned to kiss him, and Link’s eyes rolled back as every part of her bare skin brushed against his until she finally settled in an equally precarious spot, feeling his muscles wind tighter where her hand rested on his abdomen. “Very dangerous.”

Their kiss was slow and languid as Zelda started to wake up more and more with every passing moment and Link’s mind became overwhelmed by thoughts of Zelda. Before she could trap him in a haze, he broke away to move his lips further down her throat. “You’d think after a couple of times, I might start thinking this is real. Goddess, I love you.”

Zelda let out a breathy giggle and pushed her hair back, feeling her fingers caught in a tangle. “I know I’m the one who had the royal education, but _surely_ you know how to count higher than that. ‘A couple?’ You must be counting by days because my calculation from last night and this morning is a little higher.”

“And here I was trying to be nice!” he laughed with a genuine, hearty, throwing-his-head-back way, wrapping his arms around her and spinning them both so she was pinned beneath him. His lips crashed down into hers, and she met his enthusiasm with a force all her own.

Her hands ran through his hair, and his moved reverently down her body, completely lost in the other.

Which is how they missed the sharp rap on the door and the pause before it opened.

“Good morning, Princess,” Seres said, passing by the bed without a glance. It was her morning routine, and she did most of her actions robotically, like throwing the curtains open. “Big day today. I hope you got some rest.”

“Shit, shit!” Link hissed, though both he and Zelda had to fight back a look of shock and humor as they scrambled away from each other. And Link looked over at Zelda, unclothed and uncovered, before looking back at Seres, who was still busying herself with her morning tasks, like preparing a tub with water. Link hastily reached to the bottom of the bed where they’d kicked the light, nearly transparent white sheet, and pulled it up to cover the both of them as modestly as possible.

Zelda covered her mouth and nose to stop her nervous laughter, pulling her legs up to her chest and tugging her end of the sheet up to her chin as they both watched in frozen anticipation.

“Want me to just hide?” Link whispered when Seres still hadn’t noticed him as she moved to the closet. He rolled his eyes as he realized the only place he really could get to before Seres noticed him was under the bed, but he’d be willing to try if Zelda wanted him to.

Zelda shook her head ‘no’, unable to form words as she hugged the sheet over her mouth.

“Princess,” Seres said, still laying things out. “You’re meant to wear this armor today, so I suggest you get out of bed and bathe rather quickly so I can figure out how to get this thing on.” She finally turned to them, and Seres blushed seeing Link with Zelda, but betrayed very little surprise. “Oh, Master Link! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you stayed the night.”

“Mhmm,” he muttered, keeping his mischievously guilty expression decidedly off Seres.

“Well, Princess Zelda needs to get ready. The water will not stay warm forever, so…” The rest of her sentence was clear. _So it’s time for you to leave._

Link nudged Zelda, silently asking for assistance. She let out a sigh and bit her lip. “Seres, he… can’t really get out of the bed right now.”

Seres turned to them with a curious look. “Are you injured?”

He choked out a laugh and ran a hand nervously through his hair. Sitting up, the sheet dropped further and uncovered his chest before he pulled it back up. Seres looked away, and Link glanced at Zelda. She nodded, knowing there was no way out of this one, and moved back to her embarrassed position of covering her mouth with the sheet, unable to speak any more words than she already had. She wasn’t embarrassed _of_ Link being there, but Seres walking in felt similar to what she’d imagined it might be like if her sister had found them like this.

“Seres,” Link said gently. “There’s only one sheet here, and we’re both going to need it if you want either of us get up right now.”

“Wha—” Seres started, but stopped herself as she started to _actually_ pay attention to the room that she’d developed tunnel vision to. The clothes that were scattered on the floor too far out of their reach, the comforter kicked off the foot of the bed, Zelda’s bare arm that peeked out from the sheet along with that glimpse of Link’s bare chest. “Oh gods! Oh gods!” Seres muttered over and over as she began to pace. “I’m so sorry! Master Link is here in the morning sometimes, so I didn’t even realize! I’m sorry! Oh Din’s Blood, I’m—uh… you need to… um… I—I can just go. I’ll do that. I’ll leave you two. But… oh, goddess, Princess, you have armor that you need to… we might need to take time because I’m not e-entirely sure how to secure it…and you have a bath drawn and I have to… no, never mind, I’ll take care of that later. I—um, I’m going to go. M-master Link… d-do you need anything from your room?”

“No, thanks. I’ll get it in a bit. The guards don’t know I’m in here.”

Zelda made a noise and turned to him. “They _might_ have figured it out.”

He made a face and nodded, grabbing his neck as red spread across his chest. “I can, uh…” he absently gestured at nothing, though his words were directed at Seres. “I can help Zelda with the armor, if you want.” He turned back to Zelda. “Or I can just leave you two.”

“No!” Seres said, hastily grabbing a few things and heading for the door. “No, you uh-you do the armor. I’ll… be available if you need anything. Just pull the bell.” Before Seres reached for the handle of the door, she gave Zelda a knowing grin before ducking out of the room and practically slamming the door shut behind her.

Zelda let out her breath and crashed into Link’s shoulder, a wave of uncontrollable giggles pouring from her mouth as she tried to catch her breath. “By all the gods,” she finally said, “I think my heart stopped.”

Link’s hand slid to her neck and he nodded, feeling her pulse. “No, your heart is _racing_.”

Zelda pushed his hand off her and quickly slid away with a grin. “Nope! Don’t touch me or someone else will walk in. It’s a curse.”

Link chuckled and glanced at the door. “It’s never ‘someone,’ it’s just _always_ poor Seres.”

“It was almost Shad the other day,” Zelda muttered. “Go lock the door so no one else barges in. Take the sheet in case you’re a few seconds late to another guest.” She rolled out of the bed and crossed the room to grab her light robe, pulling it tightly around herself. And when she turned back around, Link hadn’t moved, just watching her. “Link!” she scolded, going back to lean on the bed. “We actually have to start functioning.”

He grinned and reached out for her hand, but she pulled away with a playfully impatient face. “You’re just so beautiful and I love you so much.”

Zelda could see his eyes glistening and the tight line as the corner of his lip tipped up, so she narrowed her eyes, waiting for him to continue with whatever comment she knew was about to come out of his mouth.

“ _But,_ ” he chuckled, watching her, “I feel obligated to tell you that your walk is a bit wobbly. You might want to work on that before we leave this room.”

Zelda grabbed her pillow and slammed it down on his face. “Shut up, Link!” she laughed.

* * *

“Should I ring for Seres?” Zelda asked as she held her stomach and the metal plate inside her bodice as Link worked to re-lace it for the second time.

“You should just use buttons on this instead,” he grumbled.

“I’m going to ring the bell.”

“This thing was designed by a hateful god.”

“Or a really smart woman,” Zelda laughed.

“Listen,” he mused. “You never needed any help when we were travelling together. How am I supposed to know how to help you with this death trap?”

“It’s not a death trap, and I’m calling for Seres.”

“Fine, do it,” he scoffed, watching her pull on the rarely-used bell that was built into the wall. He ran a hand through his damp hair and leaned against the wall, completely defeated.

“You look so sad!” Zelda laughed as she leaned on the wall beside him and busily re-tied her own wet hair off her neck. “Don’t worry, you’ll get it. Practice, that’s all.”

His head lolled in her direction, and he offered her a lopsided grin. “I’m going to hate to leave this room. We’ll end up in the real world again.”

“How boring,” she agreed, leaning against his arm and letting her tired eyes close until she heard the _very_ loud knock against the door.

“Princess? It’s Seres.”

There was no sign to indicate that she was going to come in without waiting for an explicit instruction. It had Zelda chuckling. “You can come in!”

Seres peeked into the room and let out a visible sigh before entering and seeing Link fully dressed in his clothes from the night before, and Zelda in her pants, tall armor-plaited boots, and the loose bottom layer of her many tops she’d be wearing.

“You rang for me?”

Zelda patted Link’s arm. “He’s knows nothing about how women’s clothing works.”

“Oh,” Seres nodded. “The laces were tripping you up?”

He grumbled a sort of vague answer.

“Okay, come here, Master Link.” She pulled him beside her so he could watch her work. “It’s just a pattern. Under, over, pull. Under, over, pull. Try.”

Zelda bit her lip as she watched Link with a craned neck and an abundance of interest. Seres guided Link through the motions before stepping back, proud of herself and with a winning smile. She glanced at Zelda briefly, and a silent exchange passed between them and Seres looked back to Link, understanding Zelda’s look. “Okay, Master Link, unlace half.”

Link looked at Zelda with an accusatory expression.

“Do what she says, Link. She’s the Master of the House.”

Seres watched Link roll his eyes and undo all the work he’d just done, like a young boy being scolded in school. He tugged on the laces, and Seres found her hand reaching out to smack his away.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered quickly. “You could really constrict her breathing if you do that though.”

“Yepp,” Zelda agreed, sounding winded.

“Here,” Seres said, demonstrating the proper way to pull at the strings. She did it slow at first, and then sped it up to her normal speed, and Zelda was free in seconds. Likewise, she laced halfway up with blinding accuracy and handed the lace to Link. “Finish.”

Like a good soldier, he followed orders and laced it up with more ease than he thought he could manage.

Seres nodded like a proud teacher. “Almost all of her bodices are like this. It should be fairly universal if… if you need to _help_ her in or out of one.”

“Be careful, Seres,” Link laughed. “I might just take your job.” Without even realizing it, his knuckle ran down the back of Zelda’s neck and she leaned into him before shooting him a warning look.

But Seres held up her hands by her side. “There’s no need to be cautious around me. I think I’ve got the gist of it.”

“I’m so sorry,” Zelda said as Link walked around her to grab the chainmail. “I honestly forgot you were coming this morning.”

“Put this on,” Link interrupted with a sly grin as he handed Zelda the mail.

She made a face and felt suddenly uneasy, but she tried to pull the chainmail on like she would any shirt and quickly found her arms stuck above her head, unable to push it down far enough. Listening to Link cackle had her struggling harder, but she made little progress until Link pulled it back off her.

“Pull it up to both your shoulders, then just toss it over your head and jump a few times to get the rest down where you can just pull it.”

“It’s heavy,” Zelda muttered, adjusting it as it fell around her chest.

Link played with the loose bottom for a moment. “It’s actually lighter than the average soldiers. No sleeves either, which I wouldn’t have recommended, but you’re not literally fighting, so it should be fine.”

Seres handed Zelda the shirt, which was entirely normal and only required a little more maneuvering on Zelda’s part considering that the chainmail, though it was apparently light, was still a bulky third layer.

Link took the top piece of decorated silver armor and helped it over her arms before stepping behind her with Seres as he showed her how to fasten the armor securely. There were several longer, thicker straps that were more akin to an actual soldier’s armor. Link tugged one of the straps tight.

“Too much?” he asked, but Zelda shook her head.

The final piece was the wrap around her waist, but she held off. It was _heavy_ , so Link left it on the bed so he could bring down to Epona for her where she could fasten it closer to the horse and wouldn’t need to bear its weight alone for too long.

“Where’s your knife?”

Zelda spun around and rustled through her things on the floor to come back with her knife and the garter that usually kept it hidden and secure beneath her skirt. She placed it in Link’s outstretched hand.

He carefully pulled it from the garter and looked around her armor for a decent place to keep it concealed before tucking it into her boot. “Can you feel it?”

“Not really.”

“Okay, good. Don’t forget about it though.”

Stepping around her, he and Seres looked her over. Seres handed over the circlet, which Zelda dangled around her arm while she reached to braid her hair, which she’d done a messy job of earlier. Seres took that over, and Link stepped closer to Zelda.

“If I was trying to kill you, here’s where I’d aim,” he said with an entirely serious expression as he placed his hands on her waist and squeezed. She squirmed as she was jostled back. “See? Not protected. Even that thing,” he gestured to the armor still on her bed, “is going to hang too low from the weight and you’ll be exposed here. Then, your arms obviously,” he said, running his hands along hers as he demonstrated that she could still feel him. For contrasting effect, he pushed on her abdomen, and all she felt was the force of him moving her backwards, but nothing of his actual hand. “That’s well protected. They really did well here.”

Bending down, Link tightened the buckle on her boot, which went all the way up to her thigh. “You probably know this, since you’re all about medicine, but you have two arteries here that will bleed out very quickly,” he hesitated with Seres’ eyes moving to him and off Zelda’s braided hair, but he quickly tapped Zelda’s thighs where a deep wound would quickly become deadly without attention. “It’s actually going to be pretty hard to reach though, especially if you stay on Epona. Your boot plate and that chainmail blanket is good enough protection there.”

Seres grabbed some things off the grounds and began tidying up to offer them some privacy.

“Your neck and your face are completely exposed, so take care not to get into range of anything like arrows or a sword.” He lowered his lips to the spot where her pulse practically burst through her skin, and then to her lips.

She let out a deep breath when he moved away. “I’m nervous. For me, for you, for everyone. We’re moving out of my warzone and back into yours.”

He moved his hand to the back of her head and their foreheads met, his nose brushing the side of hers. “Nerves are good. First off, it means you’re not stupid, because everyone who goes to fight should be nervous. But they’ll make you stronger, smarter. Your body will act for you, protecting itself before you can even realize you need it. You’ll focus harder. Just channel it. Don’t let your nerves stop you, let them lead you.”

“So you’re nervous?” she asked, needing to know she wasn’t alone.

“Gods, I’ve never been more nervous. I’ve never gone into a fight with someone to live for, or with something to make me fight to stay alive. I’ve always fought to survive, but surviving isn’t _living_ , is it? You put that one in my head last night. Besides, you’re out there, and I don’t want you to get hurt. So, I’m damn nervous.”

“I love you,” they both muttered at once, laughing breathily together.

Zelda let out another long gulp of air. “One for the road?” she asked.

He grinned and let out a soft laugh, bringing his lips to hers for the final time in their foreseeable future unless they managed to steal one quickly in passing.

Their arms locked each other in place. They kissed, softly at first, but dizzying all the same. There was something about the possibility of saying goodbye, even though they wouldn’t reach the castle for days, that had them clinging to each other as if they were all that prevented them from a steep fall. Their lips enclosed the other’s again and again, passionate without becoming sloppy as their desperation grew. Because they knew it was time to move away from each other and to leave their own little world behind. Because it would be time to let the other stand in a dangerous line of fire without standing beside them. And because would be entirely possible that they’d be returning without one another.

Link pulled away from her first, a small sound of protest from both of them, as his hand rested on the small of her back for a moment before gently urging her toward the door. “You have things to take care of. And I have to change. I’ll meet you near the barracks.” She nodded and he grabbed her heavy piece of armor off the bed, slinging it over his shoulder as he unlocked the window before he turned to Seres. “Thank you, Seres.”

“Of course.”

“I mean it. Thank you for everything you’ve done since we arrived. And you’ll do great here. You’ll be fine.”

Seres offered him a friendly smile, one that didn’t fail to show her genuine excitement. “Thank you. Be safe yourself, Link.”

He grinned and patted the window frame before looking back to Zelda for a final glance and ducked out.

As soon as he left, Zelda felt sick as nervous tears sprang to her eyes.

“Princess,” Seres tried, grabbing her arm.

Zelda fought them back and leaned against the wall for support. “Ganondorf took the people I love from me. My little sister was sixteen, and he showed her no mercy when he murdered her just inches from where I was. What would he do to someone like Link? Or Finn? Or… me?”


	46. Chapter 46

Zelda clutched Epona’s reins as if her life depended on it. Her eyes were darting all around, searching for some sign of an impending attack.

There was nothing.

Link rode on one side of her, and Finn on the other. Both wore armor that matched hers, bearing the symbol of the Royal Family of Hyrule. There were several other soldiers who also wore it, like Ashei, and she noticed it was reserved for the more advanced among them, where the volunteers were wearing less expensive or less intricate designs. The same thing happened with Daltus’ soldiers. Most of his troops wore his family’s symbol, especially since he’d brought his people with him when he’d marched, but not everyone was able to sport it. It was simply a matter of rupees.

Auru, on the other hand, had every single soldier of his wearing his kingdom’s pristine, reflective armor with his sigil proudly displayed. He had far fewer monetary issues, especially after selling half his forces to the Demon King.

There was no possible way that their entire army wouldn’t see an attack coming. They had scouts sent in every direction, their best warriors were keeping an eye out on the horizon, and she was surrounded by thousands of loyal troops. In many ways, she was safer than she’d ever been. In others, she was completely exposed.

Auru’s eyes on her sent a chill down her spine whenever she noticed him. Their alliance was flimsy at best, and she still wasn’t sure how far he’d go. Before heading out, she’d warned all of her troops and Daltus’ to stay on alert, even if they thought they were safe.

“You look tired, Princess,” Finn noted, seeing her sagging form and drooping eyes.

Zelda shrugged. “I didn’t sleep much last night.” She could hear Link’s snort but made no move to turn towards him.

Finn didn’t even seem to acknowledge Link’s noise and nodded in agreement. “Neither did I. This is quite the feat, Princess. We’re all here because of you.”

“I just wish we were already there, you know?” Zelda said wistfully.

“I hear you. If I had it my way, I’d have been riding all night to get out here earlier.”

Zelda heard Link make another noise, so she finally turned to him. “Yes?”

He looked at her with an innocent expression that Finn didn’t seem to catch. “Nothing. Just… I feel like you’d agree with Finn. You’d ride hard to get what you wanted, wouldn’t you?”

She closed her eyes and felt her cheeks burn as she heard the double meaning in his words, reminding her of their night. “Yes,” she managed to choke out, casting a playful glare in his direction.

He winked at her and returned his attention back to the road.

“I think we all would,” Finn continued, completely oblivious. “This is just a completely different Hyrule than the one I grew up in. You never know what’s going to be out here. Not until you’re back on the throne and we can have peace.”

Zelda smiled half-heartedly, thinking about the threats she’d made to get here, and if she’d made too many enemies to keep Hyrule safe. If she’d sacrificed too much for the short term goal and had forgotten about the long game.

* * *

She sat alone by the fire, watching the flames dance wildly in her vision to the point that the heat and the flickering brought her eyes to water. It was comforting, in a way, to not have to worry about who could see her. No one could see her eyes and think that she was crying over the future. Few people even recognized her as the Princess, since she was mostly silhouette from behind, and she looked like a weary soldier in the darkness.

But from the front, from the other side of the fire, she could be seen. That’s where she saw Daltus walking towards her.

“Cousin,” he greeted, sitting beside her on the flat side of a split log. “I’d have thought you’d be asleep.”

“I can’t,” she admitted. Her eyes were like lead, but her brain was working overtime. “There’s just too much.”

“You’re no good to anyone if you’re dead on your feet.”

Zelda grinned. “Is that some veiled threat?”

Surprisingly, Daltus laughed. “I almost wish it were. But no, not this time. Not from me anyway. I’m on your side of this war, Zelda.”

“Thank you.” She turned to him, seeing his sorrow so plainly in the firelight. “How long did you know Niko?”

At the mention of his name, Daltus flinched, but after a few breaths, he found his words. “From the time I arrived in Damel. I’d heard of him in passing, but he was not of my kingdom, so his life was nothing I knew well. We were acquainted probably as long as you and your guard have been. But you were fortunate, and I was not.”

“Fortunate?” Zelda mumbled. “Cruel gods had their hands in both our lives, cousin. You were gifted with everything to make Niko work in your life, but he was a snake. I was gifted with a love who can’t share my life.”

They were silent, stretching uncomfortably long, before Daltus cleared his throat and spoke hoarsely. “I swear, though I covered for _him_ in many ways, I did not know of his involvement with Ganondorf.”

“I believe you.” She plucked a blade of grass and began to shred it into the smallest pieces she could, letting them blow away in the light breeze. “You know that Niko has to face a punishment when we return. I have no choice. It was treason.”

“I’m aware,” he nodded, stiff, gruff with choked down emotion.

“Daltus, I can offer you a kindness,” she turned to face him, though she didn’t reach out to comfort him in any way, just toyed with the grass. “I can send him to your family on the charges of deception and treason against _you_ rather than me _._ It would allow you the opportunity to intercede with your parents to spare his life. I can’t see him ever being free, but… it’s an option. If you want it.”

He sniffed in, holding his breath as he nodded into the darkness. “Thank you, cousin. For all I’ve done, I don’t know that I deserve that kindness from you. But… _Niko_ … doesn’t. He is a survivor, and if he is given the chance, he will survive. He… should be…”

“Are you sure? You have until we return to think about it.” This time, she did place her hand on his shoulder, and she felt him grip it tightly, unusually calmed by her action.

“Again, thank you. But I believe my decision will stand.”

Zelda saw his steeled gaze and felt worried that the Daltus she’d met had died when Niko was revealed as a traitor. A new Daltus sat beside her, broken, lifeless.

“You’ll come back from this,” she tried. “Maybe not soon, but you will. You have your family, and you have me. I know that doesn’t mean much; we’ve never been close, not even when we were younger, but I am here.”

He scratched his nose and nodded. “Thank you, cousin.”

* * *

On the second night, after needing to be woken the first night for oversleeping, Zelda had retired to her tent early. But it didn’t prevent her from having fitful dreams, one that had her flying awake sitting up with a sharp intake of breath and a hand on her chest to slow her racing heart. And as soon as her eyes opened, she forgot what the dream had been about and turned the lantern on low so the light might chase the dream away.

“Zelda?” she heard. It was Link’s voice, but he was nowhere.

“Link? Where are you?”

“I’m in my tent. Are you okay?”

She glanced at the edge of her fabric wall. Link’s tent was pressed as close to hers as possible, and there were three guards keeping watch over her all night as well.

“I had a nightmare, I’m sorry.”

She heard him _tsk_. “Don’t apologize. You were making pained noises earlier, so I checked in on you earlier to make sure you weren’t being strangled in your sleep or anything. Just checking on you again.”

“I woke you?”

“No.”

She saw the side of her tent wall move, and she poked it curiously.

And was met by his chuckle. “That’s me, and your nail hurts.”

She lowered her voice to less than the whisper they were already using and moved closer to the edge. “You didn’t even notice that they hurt the other night.”

His return laugh was muffled, and she knew his hand was over his mouth so the guards outside wouldn’t hear him laughing to himself in the middle of the night. Then, moments later, she saw a finger against the flat wall. “I did. It just felt better than being poked.”

She pushed her finger against his and smiled as both of them pressed their whole hand against the fabric, barely feeling the other, but knowing they were there.

“You have to sleep, Link,” she muttered, moving her hand away.

“Remember the good old days of you, me, and caves?”

“Goodnight, Link!” she chuckled as she laid down. But shortly after, she felt him do the same in his tent. The fabric of both tents was so close together that it seemed almost like they were side-by-side together. And that was how she fell asleep and managed to sleep through the night.

* * *

By the fourth day, Zelda was tired of riding, but she felt mostly impatient, and _bored_.

The tension that had first come with riding no longer lasted. She felt safe. But she did very little but watch troops train wherever they had all stopped on the road.

She’d gotten complacent and had begun to leave off several layers of her armor, sticking with comfort and practicality over safety. She kept her plated bodice, but wore a normal, loose white shirt over it. 

So, in her boredom, she’d taken to spending her free time with Shad and the others who had volunteered to treat the wounded soldiers.

She spent almost the entirety of the fourth and fifth day helping him to train the volunteers in simple tasks, like sterilizing instruments, recalling the names of equipment, and basics like stitching, cleaning, and bandaging wounds.

Though any time outside of that was limited, Shad gave Zelda a few potion lessons in exchange for her help.

“Princess,” Bardo, Zelda’s guard, greeted, ducking into the tent she and Shad were working in. “I’m sorry to interrupt you both, but several refugees came to us today. A few of them claim to have some basic medical knowledge. Do you need more hands?”

“Always,” Shad said as he stood, dusting off his pants and helping Zelda to her feet. “I’ll go meet them.”

“I’ll go too.”

Zelda hurried out of the tent, too pleased that there was some excitement. She all but jogged to where a large crowd had gathered, helping the many refugees all at once.

“Master Link is here,” Bardo said, leaning into Zelda. “Would you like me to make myself scarce?”

She groaned at his comment. From the many attempts he’d made to be kind and offer the two privacy, she’d recently realized that yes, he _had_ heard them together back in Damel, and he did in fact know. She imagined Leon did as well, given they were partners, but Leon was blissfully less conspicuously helpful in that sense. He would simply disappear when Link was around, and reappear when he’d left.

“Sure. Go enjoy some time off, Bardo.”

“I’ll be back later, Princess.”

She shook her head and tightened her ponytail as she made her way to Link’s side. He didn’t even have to look to know it was her.

“What happened? Where are they all from? Do you know?” she asked, pinning her ponytail up into a pristine bun.

“Nope. All I heard was that Ganondorf happened.”

“I heard…” Finn said, appearing beside them. Zelda jumped at his appearance, though she realized he had to have been with Link and she just hadn’t noticed him. “… that most of them were farmers and Ganondorf burned everything down. They’ve said that Hyrule Field is covered in burned grass.”

“Did you walk them inside?” Zelda snorted. “How did you already get that much?”

Finn chuckled. “Viscen rubbed off on me before he left. Picked up a few things. I wonder if he’ll be back soon.”

Zelda crossed her arms and craned her neck to try for a better view. “He’s been writing, sending us information. He’ll stay where he is.”

“Forresters?” a squeaky voice rang out.

Finn looked at Link before glancing around, but Link turned to Zelda, suspicious of the definite “s” on the end of his name.

And that’s when a familiar, short blonde-haired girl appeared in front of them, bouncing with excitement. A moment later, a middle-aged woman and a man around their age followed her with bright smiles.

“The Forresters, right?” the woman asked, placing her hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“Oh gods,” Zelda gasped, excitedly grabbing Link’s arm, shaking him. “Ellie! Maryse!”

“Oton,” Link finished, offering the man his hand as Zelda pulled Ellie into a tight hug, and a much lighter one for Maryse.

Ellie bounded from foot to foot as she looked them both over. “You both look different. Better, but different.”

“Ellie!” Maryse scolded her daughter.

“You haven’t changed,” Zelda grinned, looking at the clone of her sister. The family that had first shown them kindness after she and Link escaped the castle looked tired and hungry, but otherwise much the same as when they’d left.

“I’m so glad to see you made it. You were such a lovely couple, and you saved our Ellie.”

“Couple?” Finn snorted, coming up beside them.

Link shot him a look and clapped him on the back, pulling him forward. “This is my friend, Finn. These are the people who saved Zelda and I when we were in the most need.”

Ellie scoffed and crossed her arms. “I told them you were prisoners, you know. You don’t have to dodge that one.”

Zelda could see Maryse squeeze Ellie’s arm in warning. But their appearance here hit her like a brick. “Oh no, what happened to the farm?”

Maryse nodded solemnly. “Burned. There’s nothing left. We managed to get one horse out and nothing else. It was Ganondorf’s men.”

“It wasn’t because you helped us, right? We still have Epona; she’s here, if you need her back.”

“Oh no, it was a few months later. Just a few weeks ago, and we’ve managed. We were heading to Damel, where it’s said that most refugees are finding themselves, but then we found this army camp, and all of us needed and rest. There are about twenty-five of us, I believe.” Maryse looked from Zelda in her loose clothes, not the standard outfit one would see someone in on a normal day, and Link’s armor. “Why are you here? Did you make it home? Was your home burned as well?

“’Was her home burned?’” Finn repeated, looking to Zelda.

“Oh,” a new voice said, obviously eavesdropping. Shad appeared and shot both Link and Zelda a knowing look. When he’d first met them, he’d also seen her under the guise of Link’s wife, and understood everyone’s confusion.

Zelda turned back to Maryse. “You’re good with potions. Are you the ones asking to join the Shad at the medical tent?”

“We are,” she beamed, surprised that Zelda knew. “Would you be so kind as to show us so we might introduce ourselves?”

“I’m Shad, actually,” he said, extending his hand to each of them. “I’ll bring you back. Are you returning, P—” he stopped himself before saying her title, turning to Zelda.

“Yes, I’ll come back. I think there might be a few things to catch up on. Link? Coming?”

“I’ll walk behind you with Finn. I’ll catch him up.”

“Good idea.”

After a few steps, and seeing too many people gawking at her, Zelda sighed, not wanting to destroy that last piece of her fake identity with Link that existed, even if only in their minds. “So, Link and I might not have been exactly honest with you.”

“You are pregnant, aren’t you!” Ellie laughed, like she’d made an old joke with an old friend.

Zelda could hear Link choking behind them as Maryse closed her eyes, unable to find the words to scold Ellie _yet again_ for her inappropriate comment.

“No,” Zelda said, keeping her queenly cool, unlike every other person around her. “I… well… we aren’t married, first off.”

“Oh?” Maryse whispered, as if it were the strangest news she’d received.

“No. And my name isn’t Zelda Forrester. It’s… um… it’s actually…”

She couldn’t do it. Something about saying it aloud to _them_ specifically stopped the words in her throat.

Link dragged Finn back up to them, mouth open from the story Link had told about their marriage ruse. But Link settled beside Zelda and crossed his arms, watching her. So when he saw the words get stuck, he was pretty sure he knew why. She turned to him with a small shake of her head, one that screamed that she didn’t want to say it, even though it would quickly be revealed if she didn’t.

Link slid into his relaxed guard pose and spoke. To Zelda, his words almost sounded perfectly matched to what her guards in the palace would have said. “Her Royal Highness, Princess Zelda Aravis Thaisa Hyrule, heir apparent to the Kingdom of Hyrule and all its Territories. She used my name while we got away from the castle. I’m her guard.”

Zelda couldn’t help the smirk on her face as he got her name perfect. The three shocked faces turned to Shad, who simply nodded in confirmation. And immediately, Maryse and Oton both dropped to their knees.

Zelda reached for them and helped them back up. “Please don’t bow. There’s no need. Besides, you saved us. I owe you our lives. We were starving, tired, and in poor health. You brought us back.”

“The real Princess?” Ellie balked.

“The real one.”

“No wonder you looked like her. Or… like… yourself, I guess.”

“It is a pretty good reason,” Zelda said with a grin. “And when this is over, when we all make it through and defeat Ganondorf, I’ll personally see that your farm is rebuilt. I can’t restore your treasures, but it’s the least I can do.”

And they followed her, speechless, to the medical tent, unable to focus on anything other than the fact that the Princess of Hyrule had been in their home, and they were sitting with her in a cramped tent in the midst of an army, discussing how to best suture a wound.

Zelda didn’t hate losing that anonymity nearly as much as she thought she would, especially once they stopped stuttering nervously over every word.

Being with them made her remember the people who were being affected by Ganondorf’s rule, and not just herself. She knew many of the soldiers had seen them and been renewed with that same energy.

Something akin to hope.


	47. Chapter 47

The next day, the sixth day of travel, Zelda spent in the medical area with Shad, Maryse, Oton, and Ellie, among the other volunteers. Ellie was the only one without training, so she was taught how to do simple things like cut cloth to the right size, and the names of the items in the tent.

They talked while the army moved, and Zelda found herself lighter, freer. There was something about being with people who’d thought her to be someone else that was incredibly comforting. It was like Link, in many ways.

But that idyllic fantasy of being someone else was shattered when Link and a few other soldiers rode over to find her

“Yes?” she asked.

“Princess,” one of the other soldiers said. Commander Ashei would like to speak with you urgently.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, directed at Link. He just shrugged, so she turned to follow them with Epona, weaving through the marching troops until they reached the front of their company, and went further on still, far from the safety of their numbers. She was grateful Link was with her, but she didn’t fail to see his scowl at how little armor she was wearing.

Finally, Ashei came into view atop a horse on a hill, and Zelda rode up to her.

“What’s happening?”

Ashei didn’t answer but gestured with her head for Zelda to ride beyond the hill a bit.

And when she did, she saw hundreds of troops who burst into raucous applause and cheers when they saw her.

“What’s this?” she asked, looking back at Ashei.

“These are some of your parents’ troops that never made it to Damel.”

Wide-eyed in wonder, Zelda let out a breath.

“They’re all here for you, Princess.”

* * *

Later that night, she sat cross-legged in her tent, aimlessly waiting for time to pass.

“Princess?” Bardo said from just outside the tent flap.

“Yes?”

“You have someone here who says he knows you. He came in with the troops today. Calls himself Owl.”

Zelda’s ears perked up and she was scrambling out of the tent. Her eyes locked on an older man, hair a mix of grey and white. He wore a wide smile, and old armor that she immediately recognized as some that had been issued by her parents.

“Princess,” he greeted with a quick bow, but he was up immediately to catch her as she threw herself into his arms and he swung her dangling legs playfully. “I’m so glad to see you are alive. I’m sorry to hear what happened to your family.”

Owl, the man who’d taught her nearly everything she’d known about medicine and who she’d volunteered under, was one of the last pieces she had of her old life that still remained, and she welcomed his presence with a bursting joy. She’d lived in that camp with him for months, and she’d come to think of some of them like family.

“You’re alive? I never found out what happened to everyone. How’s your son?”

“We made it, mostly,” he said, leading her out into the night air for a walk. “But we eventually scattered for safety. I was in Western Hyrule Field when the garrison received the call to head to Damel. Rauru survived, but he was injured. He stayed behind. I then heard again that you were there in town, safe, alive. It warmed my heart. I wouldn’t miss being here for anything, Princess. I might be getting older, but I didn’t know if you needed any surgeons.”

“I’ll take you to meet Shad. He’s our head physician here. He isn’t a soldier, but he’d actually been at our camp in Hyrule Field to help out on a particularly bad day. He recognized me when I was still in hiding, and he’s been helping us since.”

“Sounds like a good man.”

“He is. I know you like to be in charge, but he’s a good leader.”

Her eyes darted around, looking to see where she was in relation to the medical tent, when she spotted Finn, Bardo, Leon, and Link all spaced out, watching her. She rolled her eyes. Though she was used to it, it never failed to strike her as _odd_ that she had four people lurking in the shadows, waiting for something bad to potentially happen to her.

She excitedly waved Link over, and he brushed up against her arm before stopping. When Link saw Owl’s posture, distinctly that of a higher-ranking soldier, potentially even a Knight, Link straightened up and fell into his more proper stance.

Owl’s large eyes narrowed at the spot where Link rested too familiarly against Zelda—so much so that he didn’t even seem to notice their contact—and looked questioningly at her. “Who’s this?”

“This is Link Forrester. He saved me from the castle dungeons and has been my guard ever since. Link, this is Owl, the—”

“Physician who trained you,” Link finished, extending a hand, which Owl took forcefully. Link didn’t grimace but was relieved when the man’s extra tight grip let go. “Princess Zelda has told me many good things about you, Sir.”

“You talk about me to your guards?” Owl laughed, though his humor was directed at Zelda, not Link. “I feel I should be honored.”

“Link is a trusted friend, not just a guard.”

“And a _trained_ soldier,” Owl noted. “Wise choice for a guard, unlike one of Prince Daltus’ guards I met earlier today.” He looked Link over and gestured to an old scar on his facer. “You’ve seen battles.”

“I have, Sir.”

“Link,” Zelda said, accidently grabbing him casually by the wrist before letting go. “Do you know where Shad is set up? I haven’t seen him since we stopped.”

“I do,” he said, gesturing for them to follow him through the camp, listening to Zelda prattle to Owl with pure excitement as she talked about what she and Shad had been doing, and her potions skills. Link couldn’t help but glance over at her and smile.

* * *

On the seventh day, Auru emerged from deep within his own troops’ area to convene for a strategy meeting while they took a short break from travelling. They’d just breached the edge of Hyrule Field and expected another day or so of travelling before they’d reach the castle.

A letter from Viscen explained that Ganondorf was well aware of their proximity, and his troops were gathering in front of the castle to protect it, but also _within it_ in case of a breach.

The meeting between the leaders was brief, simply a means of catching up on everything, and Zelda was glad it lasted for as short a time as it did.

But before Daltus could leave, Zelda pulled him aside.

“Daltus,” she started before taking a deep breath. “Listen, I know what we’ve talked about in the past. I know the promises you’ve made, and agreements between us. But if anything should happen to me in that battle, anything at all where I even _look_ injured, I want you to take our best people and get out of here. Leave someone else in charge of the troops, but get out, because Ganondorf will turn the full force of his army on _you_. He wants this kingdom, and you’ll be his next target. You can’t let him have it. And if you don’t think you can withstand torture, you _have_ to run to safety. Do you understand?”

“You want me to be a coward?” he balked. “It’s how you’ve always seen me, so how fitting.”

“No, Daltus, I’m asking you to be a hero and _save_ this kingdom by keeping it from that man’s hands. Don’t trust Auru, get away from him as well.”

“I will consider it, cousin. I do not plan to run… but I understand your logic, so I will consider it.”

She was surprised to see some of his old haughtiness, and she’d never thought she’d be glad to see it, but it reminded her of someone who had life to them. No matter his words, someone with fight was exactly who she needed for this.

* * *

“So, Shad’s coming with us?” Link asked curiously as he and Zelda took a deliberately slow route back to their tents from the other side of the encampment.

“Yes, he’s going to be the field surgeon. Owl is going to take lead over the main tent.”

“Shad knows how dangerous it is, right?”

“I’m sure he does. I didn’t ask.” Zelda stopped walking and cocked her head, hearing a noise in the distance. “What’s that?” She looked first at all the patrolling soldiers, and none of them seemed to be on high alert, which immediately set her mind at some small ease. The camp was _heavily_ patrolled, scouts were out in every single direction, guard rotations were constantly rotated to keep awake soldiers out, and it wasn’t as if they’d been making an effort to hide their location. So the fact that the soldiers weren’t nervous in any way had her letting out a deep breath she didn’t realize she’d taken.

Link paused to listen and grinned. “Music. You tired, or do you want to check it out?”

She rubbed her eyes but nodded. “Let’s go.”

They followed the sound of the music until it boomed. Several large fires were built up, and soldiers with instruments, or banging on makeshift drums to keep rhythm, and the sound of claps perfectly timed with a beat rang out across the camp. There were soldiers laughing and dancing, though none were drunk as they wished to be unless some alcohol had been smuggled into camp from a local town.

There was an energy that Zelda had never seen before as people spun each other around or laughed heartily.

It was possibly their last night alive, and they were determined to enjoy it.

Link pointed to a couple dancing by the fire and nudged Zelda. “I told you my dance was real. Do you see anyone doing your stuffy one?”

She scoffed as she pulled him with her into the crowd, looking around in amazement. She caught sight of a few people she knew. Commander Ashei appeared to be having the time of her life dancing alone near the fire, lost in the music with the world drowned out entirely. She could see Shad sitting and watching a crowd with interest, eavesdropping with perhaps too much fascination.

As they kept walking, they found Finn with a few soldiers, dancing a structured dance rather than the wildly free movements some others made. Link and Zelda watched him as he hopped from foot to foot, his hands moving opposite of him as he laughed.

“Do you consider that stuffy?” Zelda had to shout over the close music for Link to hear.

His hand went to the small of her back as they moved closer to Finn and further from the ear-busrtingly loud music that began to echo as more people crowded around.

“No. Just because some dance has structure doesn’t make it stuffy. It’s fun, if he was doing it right, anyway.”

“You know that one, too?” she asked, turning to him accusingly. “But you wouldn’t do my formal dance.”

“It was so slow,” he whined, laughing.

Looking around, she spotted Daltus watching everyone.

“I’ll show you how ‘slow’ it is. Come on,” she said, pulling Link by the arm as she made her way to her cousin. “Daltus?” she asked finally, and Link eyed her suspiciously.

Daltus looked over at her and nodded his acknowledgment of her.

“Come dance with me, cousin. No one else here knows how to dance like we do, and I miss it. You look like you could use a bit of fun anyway.”

With a harsh sigh, like it was a struggle to take her outstretched hand, Daltus nodded and followed her a little ways into the crowd.

“Watch,” Zelda muttered to Link as she passed him.

She bent her arm up, and Daltus nodded, knowing immediately what dance she wanted to do, and he mirrored her, then the other arm, and they repeated it before erupting into an elaborately designed dance, that—as Zelda had said—was fast enough for the music that was playing. And while it admittedly looked fun, Link’s forehead wrinkled as he tried to memorize the moves. They were gone from his brain almost immediately, too precise, too structured.

To Zelda’s surprise, Daltus began to get into the dance and smiled, even laughed, though it sounded choked and unused. If nothing else, Zelda was glad she could take his mind off things. Despite her lack of desire to be friends with her cousin, she wasn’t cruel.

When the music wound down, she kept hold of Daltus. “You should go dance with some people. Have fun.”

He patted her hand pulled his free. “Perhaps another time, if we survive.”

She nodded and smiled her goodbye before turning to see Link, watching her with an amused grin.

“Did you have to write that all those steps in a notebook and study it when you learned that dance?”

“I know about a hundred more that are just like that, all without a notebook.”

He snorted and stared at her, listening to the music resume with another upbeat song that fumbled a bit before all the musicians got on the same page.

Link held out his hand to her, almost sheepishly, as he started to bouce to the music.

“Link,” she muttered, gesturing around at all the prying eyes.

“You just danced with your cousin, and we danced before we’d even kissed. It’s a friend thing. I’m asking you to dance as your friend. Come on. You can even leave me for someone else, if it makes you feel better.”

Biting her lip, she looked around nervously and took his hand, feeling him immediately pull her against him. In the dark, it was harder for anyone to see that they were just a little _too_ comfortable with their proximity. She knew that if she danced with Finn, he would have left room between them, and his grip on her wouldn’t be nearly as secure as Link’s. And his hand wouldn’t be precariously low on her back.

Letting themselves be taken in by the music, Zelda _didn’t_ look for another person to dance with, no matter how suspicious it seemed that they’d danced with only each other until the moon had risen.

Later in the night, Zelda clung to him, little more than swaying, grateful for the darkness as he rested his cheek against her head and closed his eyes. They looked like any two soldiers to the casual bystander, not the Princess of Hyrule and her guard.

But still, the nagging feeling that someone would notice them hit both of them hard, and at once, they seemed to have the same idea, pulling each other away from the music and towards their tents. The area was surprisingly sparse with all the working soldiers vigilantly patrolling the edges of their camp, and everyone else either sleeping, or enjoying a last night. Both he and Zelda ducked into Link’s tent.

“Do you really think we’ll be there by tomorrow?” she asked Link, who’d been more involved with Ashei and planning the trained technicalities and smallest intricacies of a battle that she had given up on trying to understand in such a short time. Instead, she stayed with Shad, helping teach others what she did know.

“I do. Probably by nightfall tomorrow. Full moon, thankfully.”

“How long do you think the battle will take?”

This time, he shrugged and took her hand, running a light pattern across her palm with his thumb. “I don’t know. Hours, at least. It all depends. We might be at it until daybreak, or long after. We won’t know.” Link’s expression was a mix of playful concern as he tugged at her armor. “And, speaking as a concerned soldier, you really need to wear _every_ layer of armor from now on. We can already see the castle.”

“So, you should sleep. I’ll let you sleep,” Zelda said, wanting him to be rested and awake for that battle far more than she wanted to satisfy her own desire to be with him.

“Wait, Zelda,” he said, keeping hold of her. He looked almost unsure. “Will you stay? At least for a little while? We’ve been in the same area for days, but we haven’t really talked or been together. I… I miss you, and tomorrow is going to be… it’s going to be hard to find a minute to ourselves. Then, you know… potential death.”

Zelda knelt back down, getting comfortable as she watched him, his words sinking in. “Okay, tell me, how has training been going, especially with your ribs?”

And that’s how they started the first of several hours just talking, lying beside the other, telling stories, and most importantly, calming each other down.

The battle would start in under 24hours, and all nine hells would break loose on them. They’d lose sight of each other quickly, and their fates would be left to their imaginations.

As those thoughts began to overtake them, their conversations slowed, and they relaxed into each other’s soft touches, memorizing as many dips and bends on the other’s body. Which escalated much further as their thoughts turned more desperate, realizing this could be the last night they _ever_ spent together as friends, as a princess and her guard, or as lovers.

They were both drowning in the other, willing to risk their relationship being discovered if only to spend one final night together. Completely captivated by one another, they only became aware of their surroundings again whenever one of them made a noise that could have been just a little too loud to alert the guards or any passersby of her presence in his tent and silenced the sound with a deep kiss or muffling it into one another’s skin.

And they spent the remainder of the brisk night warmed only by the flimsy blanket that had been provided to every soldier, and by each other.

* * *

For once, Link hadn’t woken before Zelda. She hadn’t woken either. Both were perfectly content, Zelda lying on her stomach against his side, pressed into his chest with his arm wrapped around her, resting limply against her skin, his face practically buried in her hair. And somehow in the night, they both locked their other hands together across Link’s bare chest.

“Link, so much happened during the morning session that you missed… _Farore, Nayru and Din!”_

Link shot up and instinctively moved to block Zelda before relaxing his tense muscles, though only marginally. “Holy waters of Nayru, Finn! What in the nine hells are you doing here?”

Meanwhile, Zelda struggled to maintain some modesty. Their small blanket was not meant to fully cover two people, and she felt Link slide most of the fabric towards her to wrap around her waist as she hurriedly pressed herself up against Link to cover her chest without enough of the blanket.

“Finn!” she hissed over her shoulder. “You were _made_ to be with Seres! You have the same bad habits!”

“Get out of here!” Link grunted as one hand tried to vaguely cover Zelda’s bare back, and his other stretched out for the nearest piece of clothing. But he stretched a bit too far, leaving the safe covering of the blanket…

“Finn, did you find him?” a female voice rang out before the entrance to the tent flapped open with another visitor. “Oh gods,” Ashei whispered, though—unlike the stunned Finn—she had the decency to look at the ceiling. “Never mind. I’ll be outside.” And she _hastily_ left the tent.

“Finn,” Link practically growled as he moved back, feeling Zelda shaking against him as she stifled her laughter into his shoulder blade, far more amused at the situation than Link could manage in the moment. “First, hand me that,” he said pointing to a white thing, not caring what it was or whose. “Second, _stop looking at her_. And third, is someone dying? Because if not…”

Clearing his throat, Finn grabbed—what was apparently Link’s shirt—and tossed it into Link’s outstretched hand as he spoke. “Well, during the morning training—”

“Listen to me, Finn,” Link’s chest rumbled as his grip tightened around Zelda, draping the shirt across her shoulders. “If you can wait to tell me this, get the hells out of here. If not, then have the decency to turn around for the Princess, you ass.”

“Sorry,” he was about to say with unabashed sarcasm towards his best friend, but hastily clicked on to who Link was referring to—not just _some girl_ that Link was with—and it came out far more remorseful, turning away as he spoke.

Simultaneously, Link and Zelda groaned, realizing he wasn’t going to leave. He had the same familiarity with Link that Zelda had with Seres, but Seres at least had the propriety to at least _try_ to leave them. Though, like Finn, Seres had stayed to talk a bit as well. Zelda glanced quickly at Finn’s back before pulling away from Link enough to throw his shirt over her and adjust the blanket as Finn spoke.

“Viscen got word to us this morning. Ganondorf’s troops were seen amassing outside of the castle, and there is a large number inside as well. Then, our scouts reported finding some of theirs just on the outskirts of the camp. They know where we are, and their forces still outnumber ours. We have to move soon.”

“Okay,” Link mumbled, running his hands through his hair. That’s important, at least.

“Finn,” Zelda said. He couldn’t quite meet her eyes, still preferring to look at the wall behind her. But she waved her hand to get his full attention. “You cannot tell anyone what you just walked in on.”

“Have you two… are you two …?” he trailed off, not even sure if he was allowed to finish his thought.

Link let out a sigh. “We’ve been…” he glanced at Zelda as he fumbled for an explanation for his best friend. “We’ve had some kind of relationship since before we got to Damel.”

“You’ve hid it from me for _months?_ ” Finn hissed, far too concerned with the wrong thing. “It explains a few things, like that time you threatened to kill a king.”

“Can you two catch up later?” Zelda asked impatiently. “Would you ask Ashei to wait for us. We have to talk to her now, too. Oh, and please don’t let anyone else into the tent.”

When Finn _finally_ ducked out of the tent with an awkward bow, Zelda’s head crashed into Link with a groan.

“I told you we’re cursed for people to walk in on us!”

Link shook his head, running a hand through his tousled hair. “We asked for it. Crowded army camp the night before a battle? One of us could have realized that it wasn’t exactly _private_ , no matter how quiet we were.”

Leaning back into him, Zelda bit her lip playfully. “But I suppose now I know you will, rather possessively I might add, defend my honor in an indiscreet situation.”

“And I know you won’t!” Link chuckled as he reached over to grab the rest of their things. “You’re just laughing away when Ashei walked in.”

“I don’t see the point in being jealous when you look at me like _that,_ ” she whispered, a deviously flirty glint in her eyes.

Link’s eyes hungrily raked over her. “If I might die later tonight, I’m damn well going to look at you now. You look good in my shirt, but I’d rather you were out of it.” He teasingly placed a light kiss on the back of her neck before remembering Finn and Ashei just outside, and he groaned in annoyance. “Gods, I hate that they’re standing out there right now, _waiting_.”

Zelda laughed, though she covered her mouth to avoid Ashei and Finn coming up with any assumptions of what was happening.

Link grabbed her shirt from the pile of clothes and held it out. “I’m not flirting with you when I say you need to take mine off and give it back. You have your own shirt but there’s no way I’ll fit in it, so I’m going to need my own back.”

“I’d love to see you try to fit in mine!” she snorted.

He wriggled his eyebrows at her as he helped her off with the shirt and tugged it over his own head. “I’ll give you a show some other time. Somehow, I just need to live through tonight.”

“Hey,” she said, grabbing his arm. “Nothing is going to happen to you. I command that you stay alive.”

“Yes, Princess,” he said with a bow of his head before kissing her softly. “I’ll do my best.”


	48. Chapter 48

_“So, he knows where we are?” Auru muttered as he, Daltus, both their guards, Zelda, Link, Finn, and Ashei stood huddled over an unfortunately small map of Hyrule Field. “We can use that to our advantage. Without surprise, we can rely solely on force and strength.”_

_“He’ll have his creatures in the first wave,” Link muttered. “Dinofols will be the ones to keep an eye on. They’re fast, armored, smart, and dangerous. Unlike with his human troops, any of those creatures he sends will have a higher pain tolerance, so simply injuring them and moving on is not an option. Force alone isn’t going to work. We’ll be massively overwhelmed and tired before reaching the castle. The archers have to go first.”_

_“Watch it, soldier!” Auru balked._

_But Zelda leaned forward to block Auru’s glare. “He’s my soldier, King Auru, and he speaks for me here. This is my first battle, but it is not his, so I trust him and Ashei to be my voices. Do not chastise either of them for disagreeing with a plan that is apparently flawed.”_

_“Flawed?” he scoffed, more to himself. “Of course, Princess. Do as you wish with my army.”_

Zelda shook the conversation from her mind and tried to forget the hateful look Auru had given her. She’d made an enemy, and there was no doubt about that.

But it had been hours, and there was nothing more from him.

“You alright?” Link called over to her from where he rode.

Finn turned to look at her, understanding the looks that passed between them a little better when she turned back to Link, shaking her head.

Both Finn and Link could both see that she was shaking. She felt unsafe as they marched closer to the castle, despite being surrounded by all six of her guards: Link, Finn, Bardo, Leon, Kasuto and Ezlo.

Of the three royal leaders, she was the only one who had never had to command an army before, and the thought of it made her sick with anxiety. While she wished the battle would never come, she also wanted it to be underway.

And that wish would soon be granted.

She sat on Epona, looking out over the hill with everyone beside her as they stared at a force of _thousands_ of troops prepared to fight, and eager to die just outside the castle. It took every ounce of willpower she had to tear her eyes away from Ganondorf’s troops and ride back to the camp where every soldier prepared for battle. But she rode past them all, offering nods of acknowledgement to anyone she made eye contact with.

Hopping off Epona when she reached her destination, she pushed the flap of the large tent open and watched Shad struggle to strap on some armor.

“Here, let me,” Zelda offered, grabbing the buckle and moving it so it was in the correct position over his arm, rather than how he’d managed to tangle _under_ it. “How are you doing? Are you ready?”

Shad hesitated as he wiped sweat from his brow. “Yes. Ashei gave me my own guards to defend me while I work on anyone. I have some volunteers for the field, but mostly they’ll be running the injured back up here to Owl. Your friend, Oton, is a volunteer with me. Maryse and her daughter are staying here, though.”

Zelda rested her hand on Shad’s shoulder when she’d finished securing him in. “If I were anyone else, I’d be out there with you.”

He nodded and placed his hand over hers, offering a comforting squeeze. “I know you would be, Princess.”

“Stay as safe as you can out there, Shad,” she said, moving past him as he finished packing his things.

She tiptoed past several people praying to the gods and goddesses, and spotted Ellie staring at a pile of equipment, muttering something to herself. As Zelda got closer, she could hear the words.

“Bandages, scissors, clamp, sutures, red potion in a blue bottle, blue potion in a dark blue bottle…”

Zelda felt a small smile on her face, remembering her early days, doing something similar to remember the names of everything. “Ellie,” she said as the young girl broke from her trance and looked at Zelda expectantly. “You’ll do fine. If you can, just getting water for a thirsty soldier will make the world of a difference.”

“You should be getting ready to leave,” Owl interrupted as he rounded the corner, eyeing Zelda. “We’ve got things handled here. I’ve done this before, and you and Shad prepared everyone well.”

“I know,” she whispered, feeling a nervous chill through her. “I just wanted to say goodbye.”

Owl smiled and grabbed her hand, placing a reverent kiss on the back of her hand before bowing. “I’ll say to you what I say to the soldiers: do not look back, and do not die.”

Zelda crossed her arms. “That’s what you said to me the last time I left you.”

“And here you are to hear it again. Do not look back, Princess. We’ll be safe.”

* * *

Zelda sat atop Epona, staring into the black mass of shadows that loomed in front of the castle, and in front of her. It was Ganondorf’s army, just a short gallop away. Her six guards surrounded her, but she couldn’t stop her shaking.

Daltus and his guards, as well as Auru and his were all lined up beside her, the three on equal footing. She turned to them and was met by Daltus’ determined expression. Auru looked ready for this war, and he turned away to head towards his troops. Daltus gave Zelda a brief nod and headed to his people. And Zelda turned around to hers.

Ashei rode up beside her and looked back at their soldiers before turning her attention to Zelda. “It’s time. You might want to inspire them with a speech, Princess. I’ll finish it and take our first wave down immediately. Everyone else is stationed and waiting for our signal. Are you ready?”

“Oh Goddess,” Zelda muttered. “Yes, yes.” She clenched Epona’s reins to avoid a visual of her hands trembling and caught the faint sound of Auru yelling something out in the distance, his own speech.

She rode to the front, clearing her throat and speaking as loudly as she could, trying not to let her nervous voice crack.

“People of Hyrule,” she started, already wishing she could have started differently. It was a war speech, not a public announcement. “Our kingdom was invaded by a usurper. He sits on a throne awash with the blood of King Nohansen, Queen Llyan, Princess Aelia, and the countless soldiers who died to try and protect them. Hyrule Field has already been stained with the blood of your brothers and sisters. Tonight, we don’t fight for ourselves. We fight to avenge the fallen. We fight to strike down the murderer who sits on the throne.

“The Goddess Hylia watches over her special people tonight. Hylians are favored by the Goddess, and we will expel Ganondorf and his minions from this land with their tails between their legs. Failure is not an option tonight. He is here to kill your families, your husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters… your children are not safe until Ganondorf is defeated.

“Take up your weapons—your swords, your axes, your spears—and do not let him forget how menacing we are! Tonight, Hyrule Field will be watered with the blood of her enemies. We only get one death; let’s make it count!”

Ashei rode up beside Zelda, holding up her own spear. “For your families! For Queen Zelda! And for Hyrule!” With a roaring scream, she spurred her horse on, racing alone across the field until the thundering stampede of the horse riders from all three kingdoms followed. Arrows whooshed through the air, shot by the two large flanks of troops that were stationed much closer to the battle. Soldiers raced past Zelda on foot, a battle cry of their own on their lips.

Zelda watched as the horses disappeared into the mass, taking down the worst threat to the foot soldiers. The arrows moved back, closer to the walls of the castle rather than the edge of the battle. She realized that Finn had gone, and her remaining guards had moved in closer to her to fill his gap.

She waited, her eyes darting _everywhere_ as she tried to make sense of what was happening in the distance. She watched for so long, but she didn’t even notice the passing of time. And when she heard Link ride up beside her, her heart sank.

“Zelda,” he simply said, dismounting his horse as another man took his place and rode back to the remaining troops.

“Gods,” she muttered, feeling a tear in her eye before furiously wiping it away, refusing to let it fall. 

“I love you,” he said, just loud enough for her to hear before he went to head to his place in the lineup of troops.

Zelda watched him walk away, trying to maintain their secret, desperately holding herself back from screaming his name and running towards him for one last moment together.

But for all her attempts, something snapped, and that was exactly what she ended up doing.

Link turned around when he heard his name and gawked for a moment, watching Zelda come closer, unsure if he should believe his eyes or if he was imagining her. But she was moving _fast_ , and he wasn’t sure he had time to consider what was real. So, he jammed the tip of his sword down into the grass and looked back up just in time to catch her in his arms and meet her lips in a desperate final kiss.

It wasn’t until later that he registered the different reactions from the troops watching them. For some, there were hushed whispers, confusion, gossip. For others, there were cheers, whistles, and applause. But with Zelda in his arms, her lips on his, he knew nothing else in that moment.

They pulled apart, only to meet again for several frantic, brief kisses until Zelda finally pulled away.

“I love you, too.”

“Zelda,” he muttered, though there was a wide smile on his face. “Half of your army just watched that. There's no taking that one back.”

“I don’t even care. I’d do it again.” 

He chuckled and ran the back of his hand along her cheek. “Be safe.”

“You too.”

He wrapped his hand behind her neck for a fleeting kiss goodbye before pulling his sword from the grass and taking his place.

Zelda walked back to Epona and caught a smug look from Bardo before she mounted her horse once more, her eyes locked on Link.

His commander raised a sword into the air. “For Queen Zelda and Hyrule!”

Link turned and gave her a final sharp nod before spinning his sword in his hand and waiting, eyes on his commander until they ran forward, shouting louder even than the first group had.

Zelda’s eyes followed Link until he was too far, lost in the sea of soldiers that seemed to never end as they poured onto Hyrule Field.

When she looked around her, she realized that the only ones left with her were Daltus, Auru, and all of their guards. The ringing of metal against metal, screams of triumph, horror, and valor rang out. Snarls of dinofols, moblins, and other creatures broke through with their obnoxious volumes, howling, screeching, keening. And that’s when Zelda truly realized that the battle for Hyrule had begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I THINK for the battle, I'm going to do what I did the last time when Link and Zelda were separated and give them chapters that are separate but happening mostly at the same time. So Link would have the next chapter, then Zelda (or vise versa). It went poorly when I combined them last Tim, but they worked so much better apart, so I'll probably do that again.


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> During these battle chapters, I'm probably going to earn my "graphic violence" rating!

When Link had gone into his first battle, only about fifteen years old, he’d realized a few things _very_ quickly.

First, the stories the men and women told when they returned were highly exaggerated and glorified. When he heard soldiers describe their best kill, it was a description of monsters and men, of heroes and villains, of bravery and valor. But when he’d been thrown into Hyrule Field or the first time to defend against a massive moblin raid, he found that the stories were only what people _wished_ had happened. He’d fought, of course, but he’d also run, dodged, been thrown down into the mud and nearly killed by the massive force of a brute moblin whose teeth dripped with the blood of someone else. It had only been sheer luck that he’d avoided a swift death, but it was skill that had saved him. Yet when he told people that story, he told it it much simpler: ‘my first kill in battle was a moblin.’

The second thing he’d learned was that all the training in the world couldn’t have prepared him for how fast the world moved. He’d been crashed against by others far more than his sword had hit anyone else. His feet had rarely been solid on the ground as he’d fumbled for sturdy footing. Off balance, he’d taken a hit that sent him to the ground, disoriented and unable to function.

The final thing he’d learned while he was still young was that _everything_ was a weapon, not just the one in his hand. He learned it quickly, especially when enemies had tried to use him as a shield, pushing him into his own people as he desperately clung to his blade to try to prevent accidental injuries. It took him another year or two to be able to figure it out how to manage to implement that for himself.

So, in the claustrophobic mass of soldiers and creatures that now surrounded him on Hyrule Field, Link had already been trained to know what to do, and he was _very_ good at his job.

Dodging to the side of a falling bokoblin, he picked up its fallen sword and lodged it into the nearest soldier wearing Ganondorf’s armor, not waiting to see if they had perished. There was no time for waiting. Standing still was the fastest way to die.

He moved toward the castle, as his entire group had been instructed to do, but getting there was still a challenge in itself. Time stood still for him, meaning nothing other than a movement of shadows that he had to constantly adjust to. All he knew was that time was passing, but he didn’t know how long he’d fought, nor did he care.

His sword stretched out just in time to block a blade that was aimed at his neck. He rolled into the soldier to keep away from the blade before flipping his own sword into his right hand with artful precision before jamming it past his hip to a soldier behind him, straight through the soldier’s shattered chainmail and up through his stomach. Always moving, never stopping, Link pushed his way through without looking back.

He felt a sharp sting across his cheek and a whoosh of air pass his ear. Grabbing the nearest lizafols by the collar, he yanked it protectively in front of him, feeling the thunk of another arrow pierce the lizafols and hit harmlessly against his own armor. He moved forward, dragging the creature’s corpse as a shield, and finally threw it to the ground when he reached the soldier with the bow. Slamming his sword down into the soldier, the slice took her arms clean off. Little harm that soldier could do without arms, Link threw her into another of Ganondorf’s people off to his left, and the momentum gave one of his own an opening to kill his opponent.

It had taken _years_ to learn how to filter out the screams that bombarded his hearing. With every sense on overload, it made killing easier and harder.

He’d hear the screams of a dying soldier, but if he focused too hard on it, he’d remember that it was the noise of a human, of someone who might have a family, or who was fighting for what they believed was right. If he stared at their dead body too long, he’d remember that _he’d_ done that, that he’d been the one to end a life forever.

But it wasn’t something he could tune out entirely. That same shriek echoed through his right ear, but it wasn’t someone _dying_ , it was someone trying to _kill_ him.

Momentum and adrenaline are funny things. They move the body, the mouth, the lungs, the vocal chords. So the scream that drove a soldier forward with all the energy and power they had inside them also alerted Link to their presence.

He ducked just in time for them to topple over his back and land on the ground where Link plunged his sword through the soldier’s neck and moved on.

The closer to the castle he got, the more bodies were littered on the ground, trapping free movement. They’d all moved in _close_ to each other for this very reason, and it prevented Link and the others from continuing normally.

He heard the simultaneous release of hundreds of arrows and saw many headed through the air at him.

With a curse, he threw himself to the ground and heaved a dead body over him, blocking the arrows as they landed all around him and lodged in the fleshy shield he used atop him. When they’d stopped, he hurried to his feet and grabbed the nearest helmet and shield, moving as fast as he could across the graveyard of bodies while avoiding the volley of arrows.

Breathing a sigh of relief as he passed out of range of the archers, he continued on until he felt something catch on his boot, tugging him back. He lost his footing, and his chin crashed into the ground before he turned to see what he was caught on. But it was a wounded soldier on the ground, holding on to him, trying to jamb a knife through Link’s leg. Link tried to kick out, to lodge the heel of his boot into the soldier’s face, but it only offered an opening for the other soldier. His knife skimmed across the back of Link’s leg, right in the gap where his armor was strapped to his skin rather than covering it.

But Link felt someone pulling him to his feet and was met with the face of a stranger, one of Daltus’ soldiers. She stomped her boot into the enemy’s face, only to turn and meet a serrated sword.

Link stumbled away as the largest dinofols he’d ever seen screeched into the air. He wasn’t even sure it _was_ a dinofols.

The creature had the same basic appearance of any one of the creatures, but it was double in size with sharp claws poking out behind every knuckle that each looked sharper than a sword. It had spikes along its spine, and its skin appeared to be made of plaited metal.

With a string of curses, Link debated simply running away. This thing was massive. But he looked at the gate to the castle where a large battle in itself was happening. The gate still wasn’t open, and if he drew the enemy over there, they’d all die. And if he left, the creature would surely head towards them next. It left him with no other option.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, he clutched his sword and waited, watching the enemy, dodging, studying its every move as he stayed on the defensive. He wasn’t sure _what_ it was, let alone how it fought. Thankfully, even Ganondorf’s other troops seemed frightened of getting in its way, and they made no attempt to get even close to either of them.

Link finally found several weak points to the creature: loose plates under its arms, its face when it tilted up seemed unprotected, its hands where the claws weren’t in the way. So, like a good soldier who’d been trained not to fear death but embrace it, he charged into the beast with a cry, hacking away at its thick skin before sliding backwards, dodging a swipe of its claw. Rolling to avoid its massive tail shaped like a mace with sharp points in every direction before he could make it in close enough for a few hits, only to be forced to back away again.

Link’s throat was burning, dry from how hard he was breathing, but he continued fighting until he felt himself lifted into the air, his sides being brutally crushed, sword discarded in the sharp motion of being hoisted up.

He let out a harsh cry, specifically feeling his already unhealed ribs creaking. From where the creature was holding him by his chestplate, Link’s body slunk down, his throat caught on his metal collar, choking him as if he were on a noose.

He writhed, trying to kick out, to reach any part of the creature, but it wasn’t working. His hand fumbled around his belt until he felt his knife. Keeping that tight in his grip, he tried to stab at the creature’s hands, but it barely made a dent, hitting against the sharp skin again and again all the while bouncing back like a spring.

Black was surrounding Link’s vision, but he had just enough air and brain power left for one final, desperate move. He reached behind himself and ran the knife along his armor’s straps, cutting clean through. Link’s arm dropped out of the strap, and it shifted the armor just enough that the creature was surprised, which loosened its grip and allowed Link to pull his other arm out straight through the armor. He landed _hard_ on the ground, arching up at the pain in his back before gasping for air several times. Winded, he rolled over and crawled away from the confused creature, covering his ribs with one hand and slinking along with his other until he had put a decent distance between them. 

He went to get to his feet, but something was against him, holding him down on the ground, covering his body.

As he went to push it off, he stopped.

Ashei.

“Stay down!” she hissed, pushing his head into the dirt as she covered him.

He watched as a bombardment of arrows flew over their heads, lodging into the creature. Its screech tore through the air, trying to pull several of the arrows out.

“Go!” Ashei said, pulling Link to his feet and dragging him behind her to safety as she passed about fifteen of her warriors who were running for the creature. She didn’t let Link go until he was against the wall that surrounded Hyrule castle, and he noticed that the gate was flung open, troops pouring in.

A wall of soldiers moved to cover Link and Ashei, but the next person he saw offered even more guards to protect them.

“Princess Zelda wouldn’t like that you got yourself injured,” Shad muttered, looking at Link’s bleeding cheek from the arrow. “This one looks fine. Where did that creature thing get you?”

It hurt to breathe, but Link lifted his chainmail and shirt to look at his ribs. His _entire_ side was black and blue with a deep, painful bruise. There was a puncture wound that led to a deep scratch, and Link realized that his armor had to have bent into him and raked down as he fell. Shad winced in phantom pain for Link as he dug into his bag.

Ashei muttered something to one of her troops before bending down to Link. “Thank you. I saw you holding that thing off of us. I have to go back, but they’re getting you a new piece of armor. Move inside when you can.”

“Thank you, Commander,” he breathed. She nodded and hurried away.

Shad watched Link’s face contort in pain as he pressed on his side, testing his ribs in a few places before digging in his bag again.

Link sat up as the soldier Ashei had sent out returned to him. “Sir! Here you go.” She handed Link a new chestplate and sword.

“Thank you.”

Shad handed Link a small vial. “Here, this is a small concentration of potion. It won’t heal your ribs, but it should lower the pain for some time. Take a second one just in case.”

Downing it in a quick swig, Link welcomed the liquid in his throat, pretending it was water. “Okay.” He tucked his spare potion into his belt and pulled the armor around him, ensuring it was just a little tighter than usual to protect his ribs. And picking up the sword, he rose to his feet, leaning against the wall for one more moment to catch his breath.

“Here we go again.”

Following Ashei’s troops past the gates, he was met by the looming castle doors at the end of a long courtyard. It had become a battlefield, but he could see that it had once been a beautifully cared-for lawn.

But as he looked at the door, his heart sank and he made his way to the side of the castle. Glancing around, he saw that the area was clear enough to offer him one moment. He looked up at four cages, gibbets with three skeletons inside, dressed in bloody garments that had been torn up by birds and worn by the weather. And in the first one that he could see, dangling off one of the bodies was a crown.

He remembered Zelda’s breakdown in the cemetery so long ago. _“I want to bury them! I want them to rest with the Goddess! But no, their bodies are on display for the birds and ghosts of Castle Town._ ”

“Oh gods,” he muttered, not realizing that every time she’d mentioned it, she’d been literal. And he closed his eyes. “Goddess, please don’t let her see this.”

Backing away, Link rejoined the other troops without looking back, taking down the last of the resistance at the courtyard door with the other soldiers.

Though Link had been inside the castle once before—the day he’d gotten himself thrown into the dungeons—he remembered very little of it. But looking around, it didn’t seem like something that Zelda would have lived in. There was something decidedly _dark_ about it.

After fighting through several of Ganondorf’s troops, he found a secluded corner to catch his breath in and to give himself a once-over. He’d gotten a few minor scrapes, and the wounds on his face and leg had already dried out. He was far more concerned with his ribs and the numerous bruises he sustained.

But he felt the ground shake beneath his feet, and he looked around, making sure the castle wasn’t crumbling. There was no sign of it, but the second echoing boom with a following quake had him confused, though he decided it was best to just ignore it unless he had to pay attention.

“Find him!” he heard Ashei scream. “Kill the usurper!”

He caught sight of Finn and fought his way across the entry room to join up with the other two.

“Any plans?” Link asked, turning to Ashei.

“Take every room of this place until _he’s_ cornered and killed.”

Link patted Finn on the shoulder, heading for the stairway when _another_ of those creatures burst through the courtyard door, throwing a corpse from its mouth and brushing a second off its claws.

“Shit,” Link muttered, readjusting his grip on his sword. His ribs almost hurt at the sight of it.

“Flank it!” Ashei commanded.

Both Finn and Link hurried to get on either side of the creature while Ashei took it from the front, all three quickly dividing its attentions.

Even with three people, the creature didn’t go down with ease. It picked Finn up by the back of his armor, and Link knew all too well that Finn would quickly start to choke. He ducked under a swing of its arm and jabbed his sword into the creature’s arm. At the same time, Ashei skidded between its legs and sliced its tail clean off. It threw Finn, but he was simply stunned rather than injured, unable to make his way to his feet.

“Back, back!” she called to them, reminding Link to take the creature’s other side.

They fought harder, and Link ended up trapped on the inside of the creature, too close and unsafe. He lifted his sword just in time to avoid a claw piercing straight through his eye, though his blade ended up caught between two of the creature’s claws. Before the other hand could reach for him, Link rolled _over_ the creature’s arm, keeping a tight hold of the trapped sword so that the creature’s wrist twisted backwards. It flailed, and Link’s sword snapped, still stuck between claws before being elbowed directly over his ribs, sending him backwards with a sharp cry of pain.

Ashei moved in, managing a clean slice straight across the distracted creature’s chest. Its screech echoed through the entryway. Its attention was still on Link, though, remembering his face more clearly, and Ashei took full advantage, reaching up and lodging her sword in its shoulder blade, pulling down until its arm came clean off.

Enraged, in pain, and dying, the creature reached to pull Ashei away from it, grabbing her.

But it didn’t _grab_ her. It _impaled_ her over two of its massive claws.

“Ashei!” Link and Finn screamed, forcing their bodies to get to her.

Blood pooled from her mouth as she was raised up to the creature’s eye level, the motion pushing her deeper onto the claws. She spat the blood from her mouth onto the creature and used the rest of her strength to push her sword down hard across its neck, leaving a long line of spewing blood before its arm went slack and she fell straight off.

“Ashei,” Link said as he and Finn tried to cover her wounds. Shad ran in with the area clear and took one look at Ashei before shaking his head.

“Put… put her on t-the throne,” she whispered before her head lolled limply to the side and a steady stream of blood ran from her mouth.

Silence filled the room as the soldiers from outside poured in and looked at the two massive pools of blood that drowned both the creature and Ashei. Then, the soldiers turned to Link, their eyes wide and unsure.

“Commander?” one asked, turning to Link. “What do we do?”

He shook his head and had to look away from her mangled body. “You heard her orders. Clear out this whole damn castle and kill the usurper. Half take the east wing with Finn, the rest of you, you’re with me.”


	50. Chapter 50

Zelda watched the battle in fascinated horror.

She was unable to turn away, let alone speak, when Daltus rode over to her and asked her something. But his words didn’t reach her muffled ears. All noise sounded like she was caught underwater, a muffled _thing_ that she couldn’t hear but for the rush in her own ears.

But she still had her sense of touch, so when Daltus reached over to grab her arm, her brain clicked into an entirely different overdrive as she turned to him.

“I said it looks like they’re doing well,” he repeated gently. “They got through the gate.”

Every now and then, though rarely, an arrow would fly from Kasuto’s bow—or one of the other guards’—at a stray soldier or moblin who tried to reach them. Any larger forces that tried to head towards them were met by the field soldiers.

Several of their own people ran back, carrying wounded or bleeding friends back to the medical tent and then running back to the battle.

“Did they?” she whispered back, trying to distinguish where the gate was at all. Everything was a blur. She didn’t know how long they’d been fighting, but she was sure that the next time she fell asleep, all she’d hear would be the deafening ring of thousands of clashing blades.

Auru rode up next to both of them and scoffed. “Have you not paid attention? We are winning.”

“How?” she choked out. They didn’t have the numbers. They didn’t have the training. They didn’t have the home advantage.

Daltus leaned forward, his eyes darting around. “They have something to fight for.”

Zelda’s attention didn’t go to Daltus, but she looked at Auru, who was smirking. Then, she heard the sound of a bowstring snapping back.

She could see the arrow coming for her, but it didn’t come from the battlefield. It came from her right. From Auru’s guard.

Closing her eyes and bracing herself for the hit she’d never avoid, she waited, but it never came.

She looked up just in time to see Bardo ride between her and the arrow, falling sideways off his horse as the arrow lodged sideways just under his arm and into his chest. Epona reared up in fear, not a trained warhorse, and began to back up, almost like she was instinctively trying to get away from Auru.

Kasuto, Ezlo, and Leon were in front of her in an instant, blocking her from Auru’s troops. Daltus’ soldiers converged around him, attention split between Auru and his guards.

But Zelda didn’t have the luxury of time to look around. She felt Auru’s grip on her arm, pulling her from Epona as he raced forward, throwing her a decent distance from her guards and into the grass.

He dismounted and hurried to bend over her with his sword.

Zelda fumbled for the knife in her boot, pulling it out just in time to scratch Auru’s hand. But he had the upper hand, and he was stronger, pinning her hand back down with a hard force that had her cry out as her shoulder twisted backwards at an odd angle.

“You have my troops, but not my allegiance,” he growled, bringing his sword down again. She closed her eyes, unwilling to watch her own death.

But again, the sword didn’t connect. Instead, she felt the force of something else on her, and she opened her eyes to see… Daltus.

Leon had tackled Auru off to the side, and Daltus was pulling her to her feet, his own guards dealing with Auru’s, while hers took on the King himself.

“Thank you,” Zelda said as Daltus helped her find her footing. She rolled her sore shoulder, relieved that nothing felt broken or dislocated, merely strained. Grabbing her knife off the ground and returning it into her boot, she went over to Auru and let out a long breath when she saw the pool of blood beneath him.

“Daltus,” she called over her shoulder. “Do you trust your men?”

“I do. Why?”

Zelda stood and looked around at Auru’s dead guards, and her bloodied ones. “You know the punishment for killing a king, even if they were defending us. Get Auru on a horse.” Hurrying to Bardo, she felt for a pulse. There was one, but it was faint. “And get him to Owl in the medical tent.” She turned her attention to the remaining guards. “Auru decided to ride into battle to defend Hyrule. He died a hero, killed by an unknown. That’s what happened. Do the same for his guards. Do it now!”

Bardo’s eyes were darker than usual as he looked up at her when she moved to kneel beside him. “He didn’t think we were watching him. You… you told us… to watch him.”

“You did well, Bardo,” Zelda whispered with a kind smile, brushing his hair back as he closed his eyes. She stood up for a guard to take him away, and she was beyond grateful that she didn’t know if that had been his final breath or not. It wasn’t something she could focus on.

“Daltus!” she breathed, grabbing his arm. “It’s time. You have to go, just in case he had other plans. You have to be as far from here as possible.”

“Zelda,” he started to protest.

But she silenced him with a finger. “No, you _have_ to go. I’m going to ride down to the battle so it doesn’t look suspicious that Auru isn’t here, but you have to go.”

“I don’t want to leave. These are my people.”

“I outrank you, _Prince_ Daltus. Ride out.”

His lips tightened into a thin line, but he nodded and re-mounted his horse, waiting for his guards to return.

Zelda, Leon, Kasuto, and Ezlo rode down, closer to the battlefield. She felt sick, seeing the arrow coming for her every time she blinked. She tried to wipe Bardo’s blood off her hands. She tried to forget the empty look in Auru’s eyes with his throat slashed.

But she was hastily broken from that trance by a shake of the ground and a horrible noise that sent a wave of a dust cloud into her eyes, even from her position furthest from the battle. Riding closer when her vision cleared up, she could see everything.

Ganondorf was standing on the parapets of the castle’s outer wall, and beside him were two archers. Ganondorf’s raised hand went down, and the archers let their arrows fly, but they sparkled with something that most certainly wasn’t the glint of the sun.

When they hit the ground, they exploded, like bombs, as they tore through the soldiers, regardless of whose they were. He waited, letting his archers load another bomb arrow into their bows.

Their soldiers were running back towards her in a desperate attempt to survive another blast. She saw blood splattered over every face, barely covering their fear.

Before she knew what she was doing, she was urging Epona _toward_ the bomb arrows.

Towards Ganondorf.

When she was close enough that she could see Ganondorf’s eyebrows raise in surprise at her appearance, she stopped.

He leaned forward, almost casually or bored. “Well, well, well. This is a surprise,” he said, just loud enough for her to hear him, though it wasn’t exactly the volume of a yell.

“Because you expected Auru to have me killed by now?”

“He’s dead then?”

She nodded sharply. “And Daltus is gone. I sent him away at the start of the battle. You and I are the only two left.”

“Then you should come up here and cede the kingdom while we have everyone’s attention. You’re in my way down there.”

“I figured.”

Ganondorf smiled, baring his sharp teeth as he did. “So you decided to save your warriors by getting within the blast range. It’s smart, but oh, Zelda, it tells me so much about you. So much more than those letters I’d been sent. It’s too bad you stopped those. They were informative. Where’s the prison rat you escaped with?”

“Dead.”

Ganondorf laughed, throwing his head back. “So, he’s here in the castle looking for me. Good to know that you’re still protecting him.” He turned around, keeping his voice loud, as he spoke to someone she couldn’t see. “Find me that soldier we discussed earlier. Don’t kill him. You can likely lure him out by using Zelda.”

Her grip on the reins tightened as she watch him turn his attention back to her. “Oh, Zelda, I almost forgot; I have a present for you inside. Come, see _who_ … I mean… what it is.”

“Because I’d do that.”

“Fine, then stay there. I’ll come to you.” He turned his attention to his archers. “Fire if she leaves. Actually, fire if she so much as moves. Kill everyone but her. Our soldiers are acceptable losses.”

“Yes, My King!” one replied.

If Zelda had been nervous before, it was nothing compared to the torturously long wait for Ganondorf to appear from beyond the courtyard as he strode out to meet her. Any soldiers who even attempted to move close to him were shot. There were archers everywhere, their eyes scanning the battle for anyone who might be looking to aim at their King. And he purposefully moved so Zelda acted as a shield between him and most of the battle, protecting him from any quickly fired shots.

“I must say, Zelda,” he practically cooed. It was then that she noticed blood splattered all over his dark clothing and his practically impenetrable armor. “You are looking a bit more grown than you did in the dungeons. You’ve lost some of your childish innocence, haven’t you?”

“I haven’t been a child in quite some time.”

“Perhaps not, but you are still young. Naïve. Foolish. And _brave_.” The way he said it was definitely not a compliment but oozed with an insulting venom. “You’ve been holed up in Damel. You knew I couldn’t attack there. It was smart, I’ll give you that one. But you opened its walls to refugees, did you not? Open walls, open arms. How many soldiers did you leave behind to defend it? Not enough, I’d think.”

She made a face, a mix between confusion and disgust. “What does that mean?”

“I’ll negotiate with you, Little Flower. I will stop this battle right now, and I will send my _fastest_ riders to Damel and have them call off that attack. And you can save that little maid Auru said you left in charge. Does she know how to defend against an ambush? If not, I doubt she’ll last very long.”

“Seres…” Zelda muttered, her face visibly falling. She hadn’t even entertained the idea that Ganondorf could have sent troops there. With no way into the city past the walls, they’d agreed to simply leave a peacekeeping force. But it dawned on her: they didn’t need to find a way past the walls when she’d opened the doors to every refugee in Hyrule.

“Look at this field. Think of those people. You can end it by simply coming inside with me.”

“You wouldn’t keep your word. I would be doing nothing, and if you hadn’t noticed, we’re winning.”

But Ganondorf smiled. “There are your thorns. I was wondering when they’d show again.” He turned his attention back to his archers. “Shoot wide. Keep it as far from her as possible and let them rain down.”

Zelda glanced beside her at Leon before the sickening sound of another set of explosions behind her rocked the earth again and again until there was nothing but a constant tremor.

“Stop!” she shrieked, seeing spurts of blood, decapitated limbs, hearing the _screams_ of her soldiers, the screams that she was sure she’d never unhear. “Stop! Call off the attack on Damel and stop this! I’ll come inside!”

Ganondorf held up his hand and the relentless bombardment stopped. “You won’t be needing those arrows anymore. Put them away. And send our rider to Damel. Call it off.”

“Yes, My King,” one of the archers said, putting the bow down.

“Wait to leave until she comes to me.”

The archer watched her closely, and she took a deep breath before dismounting Epona and taking several tentative steps towards Ganondorf, trying to fight her body’s natural response to flee.

Then, there were three whooshes of air past her, and she turned in time to see Leon, Kasuto, and Ezlo fall from their horses, each with a fatal arrow lodged in them.

“You try my patience, Zelda,” Ganondorf said as she stifled a sob, turning to look at Leon’s frozen look of surprise. “Move faster.”

Nearly under his chinin height, Zelda could see that he was decked out in the finest armor, his own sigil embedded in the metal, though the entirety was black and difficult to see. Every part of him was covered in the impenetrable mail, and for what it was worth, it showed Zelda that he was, in fact, afraid. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be so heavily guarded and armored.

Without ever needing words, Ganondorf was a sight of horror. The blood all over his body—a mix of human and monster—showed his ruthless way of carving hrough the battlefield inside the castle for this one triumphant moment in front of Zelda.

She’d vowed to never again enter the castle alive while Ganondorf sat on the throne, yet here she was, walking through the courtyard, surrounded by Ganondorf and his guards.

Zelda made the breathless walk up to the castle for the first time since before the war. Her eyes rested on four cages outside, three that were occupied. She’d heard rumors. She’d heard vague threats. But no matter how much she’d braced herself for the sight, she was sorely unprepared.

Hanging just to the sides of the main gate into the castle were three skeletons. None of them were fresh, but some of the skin and fabric remained and each still retained a telling crown. Picked to the bone by the birds and weathered from months of being on display.

Zelda collapsed to the ground, clenching her throat as her raw sob ripped from her. Her father’s regal crown: the blood ruler of the royal family had the most elaborate of the crowns, decorated with different gemstones on each of the sharp prongs that jutted off the top.

Her mother’s more modest crown: a tiara with only four gems, but they were the gems that unofficially represented each member of her family. Blue for her husband, the royal color and royal jewel. Red for herself, the flaming spirit she’d brought to the kingdom. Purple for Zelda, the combination of the two, the next to rise. And orange for her sister, the child born with the sunrise, the one with less weight on her who would be allowed the benefits not afforded to the eldest. 

Aelia’s crown, simple and golden, circling her head with etched designs that embellished it rather than stones, one of Zelda’s older ones that had been hastily retrieved for her sister on the day of the invasion. Their final sign of defiance.

There was another cage near her sister, empty, but with the crown that Zelda had been wearing that day. She remembered taking off her favored circlet to put the diamond crown on. Designed entirely with interlocking loops, the symbol of the eternal Goddess’ favor that was bestowed on the Royal Family.

Zelda looked across the four cages again before losing her stomach, violently coughing into the ground as her body shook, no matter how hard she tried to regain her composure.

“Do you not like my decorations?” Ganondorf asked, kneeling beside her.

She turned to him, her eyes burning with all the hate and rage she’d ever felt, and before she could control herself, she spit into his face.

He bit down on his lip, his face contorting into one of forced control. Ganondorf was not only violent but intimidating. His muscles alone were inhuman, twice the size of the largest Gorons she’d ever met. So, when he hoisted her up to her feet by her arm, she was sure he’d take it clean off as he all but dragged her inside, his fingers inevitably leaving deep impressions in her arm.

Her foot stepped into a puddle, and she heard the splash before she saw it. But the puddle was red. She gasped at the sight she was met with. The pool of blood led to some beast lying in the center of the room, torn apart and utterly destroyed. And beside it was its casualty. Ashei.

“No,” she whispered, feeling her heart clench.

But she quickly realized her mistake at speaking aloud. Ganondorf knew instantly that Zelda had known the Commander, and he dragged Zelda over, throwing her straight into the pool of blood and holding her in place in front of Ashei’s lifeless eyes.

Zelda reached out, feeling that the girl wasn’t warm, but nor was she cold. It had been a fairly recent death.

“This is what happens when you care about your soldiers, Zelda. They are killed. I imagine it hurts. Come, let’s see who else you know. Maybe we’ll come across Link. That fourth cage outside is neglected.”

She felt his fingers bruise her arm deeper as he pulled her up again, this time, dripping with a combination of the creature and Ashei’s blood on her hands and knees.

He dragged her down a hallway that once led to her father’s study, but before they could reach the door, Ganondorf slammed her into the wall. She whimpered in pain as her head whipped backwards and began to throb.

“Will you give me the kingdom? Or shall we continue?”

She’d escaped once before. Thousands of soldiers were outside. Countless were inside. She could still escape this alive and with her family’s kingdom. So her head shook.

Off to the side, out into another hallway than the one they’d come in from, she watched in horror as a blood-soaked soldier in her armor was pressed against the railing of a balcony before it splintered with a sickening crack, sending her soldier and his assailant plummeting down a floor. She moved instinctively to go to them, but Ganondorf pulled her again as they finished the trip into the study.

Zelda’s eyes widened as she looked around. About fifteen of her people, and fifteen of Ganondorf’s were in the room. Her people were on their knees, swords to their necks. And one of them was Finn.

Her eyes locked on him. He was bloody and bruised, but his eyes met hers and he shook his head ever so slightly. She could read his words in his eyes. _Let them kill us. Let them kill me._

Every one of them had the same look in their eyes, prepared to die. And that was exactly what Ganondorf intended to do. For good measure, he nodded to one of his people, who slowly drove his sword down through one of her soldier’s neck.

Zelda cringed and looked away, but she felt Ganondorf’s hands tightly in her hair, forcing her head back. “Is Hyrule mine yet, or will we go through each one of these poor souls?”

She swallowed hard, seeing their eyes on her. And though she knew they were dead either way, she knew her words were directly murdering fifteen people in front of her when she choked out “no” once again.

And she stood, forced to watch eight of them die at her feet before he got to Finn. There were already tears streaming down her cheeks, but when the sword went up, she felt her throat croak out a weak sob as she closed her eyes.

“Wait, wait!” Ganondorf yelled, holding out his free hand and involuntarily yanking Zelda’s hair in his hasty movement. “She knows this one. Stop.”

Zelda’s eyes flung open and widened as she met Finn’s. “I don’t,’ she tried.

“You do. Hold him to the wall!”

“No!” she choked.

“Stop trying to command me! You have no power here!” Ganondorf roared as he dragged her closer to Finn. “Take his leg first!”

“No!”

The sick sound of metal tearing through flesh had her stomach rolling, but it was Finn’s desperate scream in pain that had her legs give out, only supported by Ganondorf’s hand in her hair as he let her lower to the ground.

“Again! Above the knee. When I say leg, I mean his leg!”

When the sword connected, it didn’t take it clean off. In her mind, she could see Link instead of Finn. Because of her, if he was caught, it would be _far_ worse. She couldn’t even imagine a fraction of what he would do to Link do, but she’d seen Ganondorf torture others in front of her, and this was child’s play to him. The thought alone had her sick yet again, and she lost the sensation in her arms as the pool of Finn’s blood reached her knees, mixing with Ashei’s blood.

“Stop! _Stop_! I’ll do it! I’ll sign!”

Ganondorf looked at her skeptically before kneeling beside her, placing a disturbingly gentle hand under her chin to make her look at him. “Is this all it took? We did this when you were my prisoner, but you didn’t break. I showed you worse. Are you thinking about that? About what I’d do to everyone you ever knew? About what I’d do to your Link when I find him? About how I’d make you watch every second until he begs for death. I’ll see him reduced to _nothing_ , like the sewer vermin he’s always beem.” He punctuated every word with sickening precision before clicking his tongue. “You’re weaker than I thought. I was going to give you credit, but love has made you weak. Your love for your people. Your love for the soldiers who’d die for you. Your love for some filth you can never have.”

She looked up at him, her body shaking beyond her control as she tried to keep her eyes firmly on Ganondorf and not at the bodies strewn in front of her. “Let them _go_. Let _him_ live. Let everyone in this castle live, and you’ll have Hyrule. I’ll sign, but please, stop. Don’t touch Link. Don’t touch any more of my soldiers. I’ll sign.”

Ganondorf motioned for his soldiers to lower their weapons and _smiled_. “Perhaps now you understand what I once told you. Your kindness and your heart are your greatest weaknesses and would have made you an excellent ruler in your world. But _not_ in mine.”


	51. Chapter 51

Link found himself in a particularly bland spare bedroom, pressed against the bedpost with sweat pouring off of him as he clutched his ribs. Still with him were six soldiers, each catching their strained breaths. There had been an old pitcher of water in the room that they’d shared between them, leaving bloodstains around the rim and the handle. Every one of them looked like they’d bathed in blood.

Link felt it particularly in his hair where it had hardened. It reminded him of his time as a prisoner, a time when he’d been caked in it. Only out of instinct did he run his hand along his face a few times to try and wipe some off. It wasn’t bothering him in any significant way, but he still made some attempt to appear less… red. From the face wound on his cheek alone, he knew he’d bled _a lot_. Honestly, he considered stopping himself from clearing it away, hoping it made him look slightly more intimidating to anyone who crossed him, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized it might make him look weaker and more injured.

“Commander,” one of the men asked, turning to Link and breaking him from his distracting, spiraling thoughts. Link acknowledged that the title meant they were addressing him; he’d also tried to correct them numerous times earlier, reminding them that he wasn’t a Commander, but they didn’t seem to care. To them, he was. “Where next?”

Link shook his head, unsure. “Just keep going. He’ll be somewhere. And if he is nowhere that we can find, we’ve cleared a path for those who follow.”

“But Commander,” another said, “We’ve lost so many of our people.”

“Finn has the other side, and we have this one. We’ll reconvene with him in the middle eventually and merge up. And if we don’t, we just keep going ourselves.”

“I’m so tired,” a third soldier muttered, hunched over and gasping for breath.

Link wasn’t surprised, and he felt the same. They’d taken out Ganondorf’s troops on three floors, clearing patrols, rooms, and clustered groups that were specifically sent to meet them. Speaking for himself, he wanted nothing more than to give his muscles a break. From how sore he felt, he knew he’d been fighting for at least an hour straight—though it was likely longer—since leaving Zelda’s side. But gods, an hour on a battlefield was _days_ to a soldier. There was no break, no single moment to set their minds at ease. There was the constant high that came with an adrenaline rush, and the crashes that went along with every surge. One blink at the wrong time meant missing an arrow through the neck and taking your last breath. It had only been after seeing his small unit’s utter exhaustion that they’d gone out of their way to find a semi-safe place to catch their breaths.

“Take another minute, then we have to go,” Link said, using his minute to check his injuries for anything he’d missed that needed immediate aid.

He had the line along his cheek from the arrow, and the wound in his leg. His right hand had met with a nasty blade, and though the wound itself wasn’t the worst, it burned with an obvious infection, and the Link knew the flimsy cloth he’d wrapped around it was useless in that regard. He had more bruises on his body than he had skin, but his assessment of wounds was much better than his check for bruises. He’d taken a shallow stab in his chest, one that had resulted in a slight nick, but mostly bruise thanks to his chainmail. He’d felt one blow to the back of his head, but it had mostly been pommel, and only a small bit of the sword’s edge had nicked him. But there was little else he’d sustained from a blade. While those wounds could be deadly, the bruises that covered him were _far_ more painful and revealing of his battles. He was just about positive his nose and a few fingers had broken or —at minimum—snapped at some point. But he still preferred being alive, and his body effectively blocked out the pain for him.

“Okay, let’s get back out there,” he muttered, pushing himself off the bedpost and heading for the door.

He and his six soldiers braced themselves before heading back out into the corridor. Link glanced over the balcony and looked up, seeing about two more landings, though from his angle, he couldn’t be positive if there were more.

That’s when he heard the heavy panting of an approaching enemy, and he managed to spin just in time to defend himself from a raised sword. He let out a grunt, losing under the powerful upper hand the soldier had over him, and he felt the wood behind his back begin to snap from the aggressive pressure put against him.

The soldier relaxed his sword for a moment before letting a tavern brawl-style punch fly into Link’s face before his sword was bearing down on Link again.

Link shook off the punch, his blood racing too fast to feel it in any significant way, and glanced behind him over the railing to see the drop. It would be one floor, not nearly long enough of a drop to kill his opponent, but enough to wind him if Link could just manage to flip him over the rail.

But with a surprised cry, _he_ was falling.

The railing cracked again, sending both him and his opponent tumbling over the edge, landing _hard_ on the floor below.

Link had heard the expression ‘seeing stars’ before, but he’d never experienced it. For him, a hard blow was followed by a near perfect circle of all-encompassing darkness that ensnared his eyes. But this time, when his back hit the solid wood boards of the floor below, he saw saw _both_ , which entirely obstructed his vision. The impact sent him arching up into the air with a howl. In the deep recesses of his mind, he knew that was a good sign. Despite the fall on his back, nothing had broken.

Link spat blood off to the side and clutched his ribs as his vision cleared up slightly. With his body fighting to keep Link alive, he took in Ganondorf’s soldier’s appearance as best he could. It wasn’t a terrible surprise to see that the soldier was in horrible shape as well. His face was covered in scars, old and healed, and new ones from the day’s battle. He had a horrible limp, one that seemed to be worsened by the fall. His body was bleeding, and his left arm had a bone sticking straight out.

Both men reached for their fallen weapons, but neither was able to stand, too injured from the fall. It left them both kneeling, holding on to their sides as they were doubled over, staring the other down. But the other soldier had the luxury of landing on Link during their fall, and he’d taken less of the impact. It helped him pull himself together at a much faster rate than Link could.

To Link, the man looked like a blur that grew wider as the soldier stumbled towards him. And the connection of the sword on his skin felt like a burn where he felt the blade cut open his flesh. And it felt like _nothing_ when he collapsed.

He realized that, for all the pain he was in, he didn’t make a noise. His cheek was against the floor, resting in a sticky pool of his own blood, and he realized it had become even _more_ difficult to see from his eye. Somehow, his body still moved of its own accord, and his hand went up to his face where he could feel the skin flapped over, cutting straight down from over his eyebrow and down his cheek. But stranger still, he could see _something_. It meant that his eye wasn’t gone, and that was the Goddess’ true miracle. His face should have been cleaved in two from that blow.

Rolling over a bit, he saw how he’d survived.

His six soldiers were hovering over him protectively. Two took care of the soldier, one helped apply pressure, and the others guarded Link. It was clear that one of them—though Link’s vision was too blurry to make out who—had taken his assailant down as he’d swung, throwing his sword off its intended mark.

Link didn’t know how long he lay there, unable to move, unable to see, unable to _feel_. That was the most frightening part of it all.

So, when he saw Shad suddenly in front of his face, muttering something that Link couldn’t quite understand as his brain worked overtime to click back on. He felt an immediate wave of relief wash over him. Relief, and a twinge of fear. How long _had_ he been lying there? Long enough for Shad to find them.

He felt Shad’s needle move too rapidly through his skin, a rushed job to patch Link up as quickly as possible, a sure sign of a badly healed scar in the future. But it was still better than death.

And that was the first time he realized it: it was better than death. He wasn’t content to die. He didn’t feel like a pawn on a gameboard, and he wanted nothing more than to make it back to Zelda alive for _his sake_ , just as much as he wanted it for hers.

Shad dumped potions down Link’s throat, talking to him, though it took a while for Link to begin to hear the words.

They weren’t anything profound, just small stories to take Link’s mind off his pain. And never more acutely did Link understand his old Commander’s phrase: pain reminds you that you’re still alive. He’d known it, he’d understood it, but as he began to _feel_ again as the potions took effect, he realized that his blissful ignorance of his own levels of severe discomfort had been a bad sign. As he writhed, trying to claw at the bandage on his face as Shad waited for the stitched wound to stop bleeding enough that he could take the bandage off—and thank the Goddess that someone once concocted the first potion—Link realized that the pain was a grounding point. As long as he felt it, he was okay. He was alive.

“Good,” Shad muttered to himself as he waved someone over. It was Oton, Ellie’s uncle. “Oton is going to take care of you until you’re good to go. I’m not going to bother fighting with you. I know you won’t go back to the Princess or Owl, but just know how much damage you could do. You’ll be in my clinic for a few days again once all this wears off.”

Link managed a halfhearted grin and Shad took off with his guards to find other wounded soldiers in the castle.

Link turned to his soldiers. “Keep going. Don’t wait for me. And thank you.”

“Commander…” one tried.

“No, that’s an order. Go,” Link breathed, feeling a little _too_ much like Ashei or even Zelda when commanding others wasn’t his role.

Again, Link didn’t know how long he’d listened to Oton’s distracting stories about the farm before he finally felt the pain fade into the back of his mind rather than the front. Oton had cleaned most of the wet blood off Link’s face in the meantime, keeping himself busy as he waited to know that the potion had taken effect.

Pushing himself to his feet, Link tested his side with a quick spin of his hips. It sent a dull ache through him, which was good enough. He didn’t know how long the potion would take effect for, so he knew he had to move fast while everything was still dulled.

“I need both eyes,” Link muttered to Oton, who helped him peel the sticky bandage away. Blinking away the darkness again, this time, Link was met with the sights of the world and not just a black ring of nothing. Good signs. 

“Your stitches might burst if you get hit. Just be prepared. It will bleed a lot and you’ll need to get it taken care of. Do you still have that potion Shad gave you earlier?”

Link felt at his belt, relieved that he’d landed on his back and not his front where the vial would have shattered. “It’s here.”

“Okay. Are you alright by yourself?”

“I am. Thank you, Otan,” Link said before making his way up the stairs. He couldn’t run, but he walked as quickly as his injuries allowed. Passing the broken railing, he headed into a small hallway sword ready, as he peeked into a dark room.

Eight dead bodies and a severed leg were all that the room contained, so he backed out, determined not to dwell on what could have occurred there in the middle of a battle.

He turned back and made his way up another flight of stairs, walking a ways into the back halls of the castle before he pushed open the first door he saw.

More blood.

He made a face, but gripped his sword to see that there were none of Ganondorf’s soldiers inside. But as he was looking, he caught sight of the being that had made all that blood.

Viscen.

“Oh, gods,” Link muttered, taking a step inside. The blood was still dripping from his body, an incredibly recent kill. His hand was warm to the touch, and Link looked him over quickly, though he knew he didn’t have the time to linger.

Viscen had been tortured to death. Clear signs of inhumane treatment littered his body, but it was obvious that a large stab wound up through his stomach had been what killed him. The freshest blood came from that wound, and its large, fatal placement left little doubt. Link wondered if he’d taken his secrets to the grave or not.

His heart broke for Zelda. He knew that she’d blame herself for sending him into the castle. He knew that Viscen was the last member of her family’s household she’d known to be alive. He was a positive reminder of her family, a useful ally, and a friend. He knew that Shad would not handle his brother’s death well, and Seres would mourn her old friend. With Ashei and Viscen dead, he knew it would be on Zelda to replace them, and he _knew_ that would not be an easy task for her.

Backing out of the room, he wished he could do something, but there was nothing left to do for the spymaster. Link had to keep repeating it to himself. _There’s nothing you can do._

But he did hear a faint noise on the floor above him, too far away for him to make out clearly, and he hurried—or attempted to hurry—to the stairway. Just as soon as he could see onto the landing, he saw his soldiers head into a room. After a second, varying noises made it through the doorway from panic, horror, and rage.

He picked up the pace, and as he neared the door, he could hear the sound of a soldier’s pained whimpering. He didn’t know which it was, but it had him hurrying through the open door, sword ready for whatever awaited him.


	52. Chapter 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder: the Link/Zelda chapters are still overlapping and are happening at the same time. There are things in each of the chapters to tell you when the overlap happens (like Link feeling the ground shake a few chapters ago, and the bomb arrows in Zelda’s chapter being the cause of it. And Zelda saw Link go over the railing before seeing Finn). So that’s just a reminder that they're not sequential, because it’ll overlap again here. Okay, that’s all. Let’s get back to this super happy battle for Hyrule!

Zelda never learned of Finn’s fate as she was dragged from the old study, following Ganondorf up a familiar stairway that led to their work rooms: her parents’ rooms full of papers, and desks covered in half-read books.

But as they made their way up the stairs, Zelda’s thoughts turned to Link. She had no idea if he was out in Hyrule Field, or even here in the castle. But she had to do _something_ to ensure that Ganondorf kept his word, letting everyone go, especially Link. If she gave up the kingdom, she had no bargaining chips left, and she was defeated. There had to be something she could do to maintain her hold on the kingdom while stalling any further executions.

She’d been surprised that, as they passed Ganondorf’s soldiers, he gave them a vague command, and the fighting that rang out through the castle became less frequent.

More surprising, she was able to take in her surroundings, far calmer than she had before. And she noticed that Ganondorf walked with a distinct limp that added to his hulking intimidation but was unmistakably from an injury to his leg and not a natural gait.

She gasped to herself, earning Ganondorf’s annoyed attention, as she remembered:

_“What did you really do to deserve such horrible treatment? There are other soldiers in here, but they aren’t chained to a wall or covered in their own blood,” she’d asked Link when they’d first met._

_And Link had laughed, finding humor even in that moment. “I personally fought the Demon King during the final battle for Hyrule and injured him pretty badly. I was just here to deliver a message to the castle commander from where I was stationed, and all hell broke loose.”_

_“You injured him? Where?”_

_“His left leg. But he had far too many followers, and I didn’t stand a chance. He wanted me to suffer.”_

“What?” Ganondorf snapped.

Despite herself, she felt a sly smile spread across her face. “I see that Link actually did a number on your leg. I never knew the extent of it.”

She wasn’t sure if she _actually_ regretted the words, even when Ganondorf’s hand snaked around her throat and squeezed.

“If you speak of him one more time, I will ensure he has a long, painful death and you will bathe in his blood, do you understand?”

Her head bobbed up and down as she struggled. He held on a moment longer for good measure before relaxing his hand, letting her fall to the floor as she gasped for breath.

And that’s when a _terrible_ idea hit her. She let her arms collapse, taking her all the way to the ground as she exaggerated her labored breathing. Ganondorf bent beside her to pick her back up.

And her armored boot kicked out directly over Ganondorf’s kneecap.

He let out a howl, and Zelda scrambled madly to her feet as she dodged past his guards and made it into a long hallway that would eventually lead down to the kitchens. But she didn’t think she had the physical stamina to run that quickly or that far.

But this was her home, and she knew it well.

She rounded a corner and hastily pulled at the spear a statue held, pushing a trick wall open. She dipped inside and closed it with a thud, enclosing her in a pitch-black passageway that would lead upstairs. She didn’t want to go up, even just the one floor, but she wanted to get away from Ganondorf and _get out_ , so she kept her hands along the wall and closed her eyes so the darkness felt more natural as she navigated the steps and the pebbles that tried to trip her.

She followed it slowly for some time before she reached the end and felt blindly for the inner switch to open another trap wall. When she slid out, she looked around before ducking into the closest room.

And regretted it immediately.

“Viscen!” she cried, running up to him, reaching for the chains that bound his hands above his head.

“Princess,” he muttered, “You should not be here.”

She swallowed a thick wad of spit down her throat as she looked at his mangled bones and hundreds of small wounds. But she knew how badly too many small wounds could hurt, and these were deliberately placed, deep, torturous. “I tried to negotiate with Ganondorf, but I don’t think I’m there yet. I can’t give up the kingdom and still save my people. You need to come with me and help me. You need to fight, okay?”

Somehow, _somehow,_ he managed a small smile at her. “Do you not believe in yourself the same way we do? You do not need us, Princess. Now run.”

“I do. I need you, Viscen. What happened here?” She looked around, fumbling through bloody papers and pushing things off of desks to try and find a key.

“I told them nothing. But Princess, they are going to attack Damel. I got word out, but there is no way they will make it in time. Not before he _…_ ”

“No, I will not lose Damel, Seres, Finn, Ashei, and you too, Viscen! Let’s go! Get yourself together while I find the key!”

“Princess,” he mumbled. “You don’t need me. You need yourself. Your mind. Your memories. Your strength. What would your parents do? Learn from that, good and bad… trust yourself and you will be the finest Queen Hyrule has ever seen. Go. You still hold all the power, My Queen, so do not give it up too soon.”

She fought back a whimper as she took a step back, preparing to leave him, but just as she reached for the handle, the hulking frame of Ganondorf stood before her.

“Do you think I don’t know where these passages go? I found that one just days after murdering your family, Zelda. You cannot outmatch me.”

She bit down on her lip and braced herself as she watched his hand clasp down onto her, gripping her shoulder tightly.

“The Princess doesn’t honor her word. We could have saved this poor man. But no, she ran. And for that… kill him. He’s given us nothing.”

“No!” Zelda screamed, trying to run to him out of instinct and guilt. This was her fault. It was _entirely_ her fault. If she’d just stayed with Ganondorf, Viscen had a chance. But Ganondorf’s massive hands held her back, and no amount of fighting them could break her free. Her screams, her sobs, her mindless writhing, nothing could loosen his grip on her.

A soldier took over Ganondorf’s place, holding her too tightly to even squirm, as Ganondorf took a massive sword in his hands and waited until Zelda was forced to watch him. And then, with slow, deliberate motions, Ganondorf moved the sword up through Viscen’s stomach inch by inch. It was torturously slow, a snail’s pace, and absolute torment.

She felt hopeless tears roll down her cheeks as she kept his eyes locked on his for as long as he was able to keep hers. It was the least amount of respect she could show him in this situation. 

When the sword had buried to the hilt, Viscen looked up at her one more time before Ganondorf violently reared his sword back and sheathed it in a single swift motion, not bothering to wipe the blood off of it.

“Now, _Princess_ ,” he hissed, returning to tightly grab her arm. “Let’s get this over with and I will spare the rest of your people, your little soldier included, even after your insolence. _That’s_ the kind of King I am.”

She wasn’t offered the chance to respond before he was bringing her along with him again, and it was likely for the better.

Ganondorf led her up another flight of stairs, towards the royal bedrooms and a few sitting rooms for any night-reading or sleepless wandering. He pushed her into a room, and she looked around at the _storage_ room. Not quite where she was expecting him to stop. There was a door that led to the adjacent room. This was primarily a servants’ door, so they could gather supplies without disturbing anyone inside.

But she saw an ornate box, one that she’d seen a few times when she’d been prisoner, and she knew what was inside.

Ganondorf all but threw her into the wall so he could gab the box in peace. “I have more copies of this order, Princess, so don’t bother ripping it. I’ll just fetch another for you to sign.” He laid out the parchment on a flat surface and pulled a quill and ink off a shelf, sliding them both towards her.

“Oh, and if you need further incentive, I can offer it. Do you see this?” he asked, pulling a letter from inside his armor. He slid it towards her.

_My King, we are in position in Damel, awaiting the signal at your command. -K._

“The signal,” he said with an easy smile that made her sick, “Is me dropping fire out a window. A burning log, a torch, it doesn’t matter. It will start a chain signal through my troops, and your citizens and friends will be slaughtered in Damel. The city will be a husk by sunrise.”

Zelda watched him replace the letter in his armor. Armor that covered every single piece of him. Her knife sat safely hidden in her boot, and she looked him over, hoping to see a small bend that would expose his skin. She couldn’t break through his heavy chainmail with just her little knife. He was too tall for her to effortlessly reach his neck or face. His legs were covered.

She knew where to look. She remembered Link’s demonstration of where her own armor was weakest, looking at those same spots on Ganondorf. The small gap she had at her waist didn’t seem to exist on his armor, though that would have been her best opening. There was a major artery there, and he would bleed out, no matter how long it took, as long as he didn’t have a fairy hidden on him, or a medic nearby. His thighs were plaited, his arms were covered in chainmail, heavy gauntlets went up his arms, pauldrons kept her from his shoulders. His feet were in well- protected boots. The only reason she’d managed to kick his knee was the bent position he’d been in that had left her with a decent opening, but he’d be wary of that now.

 _Every_ place where he might be stabbed and bleed out was—at least as far as she could tell—covered to perfection, and she saw no openings.

He paced away from her, giving her a moment to quickly grab her knife and tuck it into her sleeve before he returned to her, his expression betraying his impatience.

“Do it now, or I will grab wood from the other room and your people will die thanks to your lack of urgency. _You_ have killed every soldier on this battlefield. If you’d signed the kingdom to me when I killed your parents or your sister, they could have been the only ones you lost. Now, families no longer have fathers, sisters, daughters, uncles. They’re dead because _somebody_ ,” he screamed, spit flying from his mouth, “couldn’t sign her name. They think you’re brave! You’re a coward. You are a murderer. You believe I am sick because I am defending myself from an invasion, but _you_ are nothing but a whiny bitch who managed to kill anyone who dared show you loyalty. You’ve seen this castle. You’ve seen the death! It’s all on your conscious, not mine. Which of us is truly the evil? End it, Zelda. _End it!”_

Viscen’s last words banged around in her head: _“You don’t need me. You need yourself. You still hold all the power, My Queen, so do not give it up too soon.”_

She let out a shaky breath, feeling fresh, hot tears falling down her face. _All of myself for the Kingdom of Hyrule._ Those were the words she’d been taught her whole life. And as she looked Ganondorf over once again, taking in every sliver of his armor, she knew where she had to lodge her knife. But if it went wrong… if he caught her first… if he could read her mind, if she hesitated for too long…

Turning back to the paper with the long edict on it, she steeled her will and let the knife slide out of her sleeve and into her hand.

Ganondorf’s impatience was boiling, and he spun her around with a serious force, prepared to scream or physically force her hand to the paper. And when he turned her, his eyes widened in surprise as he stared into her eyes, shocked, and _completely_ thrown off guard.

The knife, the blood, her hand. It took him a moment to process it all.

She'd dug the knife deep into _her own skin_ , in the gap between her chest plate and the waist of her pants.

“No,” he whispered, holding her hand in place as she weakly fought against his grip to pull the knife out, the only sure way to ensure that she’d bleed out faster. He wanted anything _but_ her death. As it was, she knew she could live _far_ too long with the knife where it was lodged. While it acted as a stopper, keeping the blood from spilling out onto the floor and inside of her body, it was saving her, and she had to rip it out. She had to give up her power, but _not_ to Ganondorf.

“Daltus is long gone,” she laughed briefly, recoiling from just how much pain that caused her. “He’ll keep Hyrule from you and return with more troops. You’ve suffered too great a loss here today. And I’ll be laughing from the Goddess’ side!”

She felt her body start to shake, though this time, not from fear. She tried to break from his grasp to reach for the knife again, but he snapped her dominant wrist back with a sickening crack, rendering it useless to her. She let out a sharp scream, bending forward and digging the knife in deeper as she did, her mind reeling through an onslaught of different kinds of pain.

Ganondorf’s hands shook as they hovered over her bleeding wound, muttering a string of curses. He reached for a dirty cloth and vaguely wrapped it around the wound, trying to clot it.

“That won’t work. You can slow it down, but we’re too far from any help. The nearest surgeon is a town away. I’m going to die, Ganondorf. Just end it. _End it!_ ”

He looked like he was about to say something, but the crash of several bodies against the door had him turning, watching several Hylian soldiers stumble inside with their swords raised. They noticed Ganondorf, but they _reacted_ to the Princess.

Their distraction gave Ganondorf a moment to sprint into the other room.

“Go!” Zelda hissed, stumbling as dizziness began to take over and she clutched her wrist to stop the throbbing pain, her brain only barely managing to focus on any one thing. She looked down at the knife inside her as they ran past, giving chase to Ganondorf, and—without his looming presence and the need to put on a brave face—she began to whimper, focusing on the harsh pain that was searing through her body. And whether or not Ganondorf was here, or killed by those soldiers, they’d return to find her dead, or close to it. There was no surviving this, no matter the outcome.

Daltus got the kingdom after all, she thought ruefully as her body started to sag. She leaned against the nearest object and closed her eyes, trying to fight back tears. If she was going to die, she was going to do it like a Queen.

“No…”

Her eyes flung open at the sudden voice, and she gasped.

“Link.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *ducks under desk*


	53. Chapter 53

_She’d held up the knife to make her point as she stared at Link, serious, frightened. “I will not go back alive. My death would allow my secrets to die with me, and I couldn’t doom a kingdom with a moment of weakness. And I want... no, I need you to promise me something, Link.”_

_He’d waited, eyes darting between her and the knife uneasily. “What?”_

_“If I can’t do it, I need you to. No matter what, no matter how afraid I am… I need you to kill me if I can’t do it myself. For Hyrule.”_

“No, no!” Link balked, hurrying into the room.

Seeing the absolutely horrified look on his face cracked any semblance of regal dignity she’d tried to maintain. She choked on a sob. If there had been anything she could have asked of the Goddess, it would have been that Link wouldn’t have seen her body until it was long-since cold. She would never have to see heartbreak in his eyes, or hopelessness. His hands hovered over her wound, knowing _exactly_ what it meant.

“Zelda,” he croaked, wracking his brain for something he could do.

“Link,” she muttered, reaching out to him. But she hissed, remembering her broken wrist, and hugged it against her chest as she started to sway, using her other hand to grab onto something to steady her. Moving her arm had sent flares of burning pain out from around the knife.

He’d gone ghastly pale, and his eyes widened at the sight of her improperly bent hand, and he bit his lip as he looked back at her.

She looked determined, despite the beads of sweat that were starting to pool on her forehead, already exhausting herself just from standing. “Go to Ganondorf. If he doesn’t die, this was for nothing. Don’t let my death be for nothing, Link. Please. _Please!_ ”

He grabbed on to her as she swayed and gingerly helped her down to the ground to get her off her unsteady legs, careful not to move the knife too much or risk a faster death. His hand shook as he ran it along her jaw. “Don’t you _dare_ die on me; do you understand?”

“Go, Link, please. Finish this.” Weakly, she pushed at him, desperately hoping that he’d understand how badly she needed him to go.

With a pained grunt all his own, though it wasn’t from any physical wound, Link stood up and gritted his teeth as he looked down at her, torn.

“ _Please_ ,” she whispered again, begging.

He dug around in his pocket and pulled out the small bottle of potion Shad had given him, unstoppering it briefly showing it to her before tilting it into Zelda’s mouth and tossing the glass vial aside.

“I’ll be back. Don’t. Die.”

“I won’t,” she promised, leaning her head back to stare at the ceiling as she tried to keep her focus on _anything_ else.

It took every ounce of mental strength he had to look away from her, let alone run from the room. He followed the door through to the next room and then beyond that to another where he could hear the clanging of metal.

Link burst into the room, all physical pain forgotten the instant he laid eyes on Ganondorf. He spun his sword in his hand and stalked across the space towards where the Demon King had been fighting his remaining soldiers, unblinking as he met the man’s blazing eyes.

Ganondorf watched Link’s determined expression with a sick smile, though it was hiding his genuine fear. For all he was, Ganondorf was not immortal, and in one act, the Princess of Hyrule had taken away his best chance to truly rule Hyrule, and had also brought the wrath of seven well-trained soldiers down upon him, one of whom just discovered every reason in the world to kill him or die trying.

Never looking away from the Demon King, Link grabbed two of his soldiers, pulling them harshly away and urged them towards the door. “Shad, the medic, is in this building. Find him. Find him right now! Go!” When the two soldiers looked between Link and Ganondorf, Link found his hand reaching out to physically push one of them towards the door. “ _Now_!”

Ganondorf chuckled and stepped over one of two fallen soldiers by his feet. He wasn’t going to stop Link’s people. If that medic could heal Zelda, then he’d have his kingdom. All that was left was to take care of the soldiers that stood in his way. It was Link and two others who remained.

“Well, I wasn’t sure if I should expect you or not,” Ganondorf cooed. “I always knew you’d make her weak. It’s why I put her in your cell in the first place. She still has time to sign the kingdom over to me yet, and with you here, it’ll be much easier. She just about gave it up for you once already. With a knife to your throat, I imagine it will take seconds.”

Link practically growled, the very sound of Ganondorf’s voice like nails against glass. He was on Ganondorf in an instant, feeling his two soldiers join him at once.

Link moved to flank the Demon King while the others took up positions around him. Every sword moved with blinding speed, and Ganondorf expertly managing to keep all three at bay, though his left side was faltering, taking far more hits… Link’s side. While none penetrated his armor, he was beginning to feel the lump of a welt or a harsh bruise forming on his protected skin beneath.

Needing to free up some of his attention, Ganondorf managed to ram one of Link’s soldiers into the wall, running his blade along their throat and leaving him with just two opponents, which he found far more manageable.

Though Link and his other soldier worked well together to keep Ganondorf on edge, he still managed to finish off Link’s other soldier with a satisfied, arrogant smile on his face.

But there was still Link…

Ganondorf knew he was a good soldier. He’d fought him personally. He’d received updated reports. Reese’s updates and Kayne’s old reports had been the most illuminating about the soldier, though the information collected by Niko and Auru had been just as illuminating.

Ganondorf was a man who fought from a place of prideful arrogance. He _knew_ he was good, and it showed in the small flurries in his movements. It made him formidable, but weak to anyone who could break past his defenses and throw the man off balance and break his stride, physically or mentally.

Link, on the other hand, fought from a place of pure instinct that had been honed throughout the years to match his skills. If he saw movement, he reacted, and his training had helped him determine what act to make, friend or foe, defense or offense. But now, his body moved hard and fast, landing hits that were powerful, if sloppier than usual even despite his injuries. But instinct was screeching at him, demanding that he attack with everything he had or die in the process.

Link knew that if he had gone straight past the door Zelda had been behind, he’d have already lost this fight. But seeing her bleeding, _dying_ , it spurred a rage and hatred for the Demon King that drowned everything else out, wanting nothing more than to get back to her in the other room.

Ganondorf staggered back, surprised by the force someone much smaller than him—and as bloodied as Link was—could manage. Ganondorf had the sense of mind to be concerned, moving quickly to defense rather than trying to match Link offensively. Link’s movements were followed by a cry, every ounce of effort put into each swing.

And while Ganondorf had every intention of finding Link on the battlefield, knowing that he could use Link to force Zelda to turn over the kingdom, he hadn’t thought that the gods would laugh at him and put Link in the same room as a dying Zelda. It wouldn’t bring about the outcome Ganondorf would have, and he never would have made a stupid mistake like that if it had been in his control.

She could be Ganondorf’s greatest weapon against Link, but she was also his greatest motivator, and the more Ganondorf hurt her, the harder he knew Link would fight. It was a delicate scale that he needed to tip in his direction as he started to move his body toward the connecting rooms.

But Link, on the other hand, had another advantage besides his pumping adrenaline and overwhelming desire to end this fight. Link could see that his troops had done a number on the Demon King. His armor was loose, leaving small openings. He had a distinct limp. His face had a deep cut on it. They’d given him opportunities, and that was all he needed.

If there was one thing Link didn’t need, it was to talk or respond to anything the Demon King said. He lunged at Ganondorf again, blocking his attempts to move to the door, their blades clashing several times in succession. Each man landed a few hits, and Link felt a deep slice across his thigh before it faded into the recesses of his mind, completely forgotten by his body’s fight to stay alive.

Link swung wide, his momentum driving his blows far off than he should have. It was blocked, and Link stumbled to get around a small coffee table that was in his way. The momentary lapse in environmental awareness earned him a boot straight to the chest, toppling Link down onto the very table he’d been trying to avoid. He let out a harsh cry as excrutiating pain radiated around his waist. He clutched his ribs with one hand before grabbing onto his weapon to keep himself focused.

Ganondorf swung his sword down as hard as he could, but Link knocked it harmlessly off to the side of his head with his own sword, offering him a brief moment to roll off the table before Ganondorf could bring his sword down again, cleaving the wood in two.

Link pushed himself to his feet, grabbing one of his soldier’s fallen sword’s in his other hand, changing his stance in a way that protected his injuries and allowed him more freedom to move two swords around rather than one. He’d _much_ rather have a shield, but he saw none, and this would have to do.

It was a technique Link had done in passing, but he was no expert. He managed to land a few nicks as he rapidly brought both swords down to make contact with Ganondorf again and again, leaving Ganondorf fatiguing from his constant attempts to block, dodge, or parry. His armor offered protection, but it weighed the Demon King down, leaving him panting for breath.

Link didn’t let up, and when he saw Ganondorf hunching over under the burden of his armor, Link stabbed one of his swords straight through Ganondorf’s bad leg, leaving the man howling out in pain.

In his agony and rage, Ganondorf grabbed Link and slammed him down to the ground, knowing that he had to keep Link off his feet if he wanted to survive. The little Hylian was too energized with overflowing amounts of adrenaline, no longer tired, and moving much quicker. He had to mitigate that by keeping Link down, and Ganondorf had the advantage of an overabundance of natural physical strength. So, Ganondorf’s arm acted as a battering ram, sending Link flying down off his feet. Ganondorf managed to bend over Link with his own sword raised high, prepared to plunge it down.

Link pulled his sharp knife from his belt and rammed it straight into Ganondorf’s chainmail with enough force to break through. He quickly did it again, relieved to see Ganondorf drop his sword and clutch his side in pain as red blood seeped through the man’s fingers. He half expected it to be an inhuman green in color, but he was just a human. Ganondorf’s pain gave Link the chance to rise to his feet.

Both opponents had lost their swords, and Ganondorf let out an enraged shout, plowing Link into the wall with his shoulder, leaving Link gasping for breath at the force of the impact. He was sure that one of his ribs had shattered into thousands of tiny pieces.

In his own pain, Ganondorf’s leg was hovering off the ground, all of the Demon King’s weight favoring his other foot, and pressed into Link as he tried to use his strength to literally crush the Hylian to death.

Link looked around as he struggled for air and grabbed a flowerpot on his left, smashing it into Ganondorf’s face before the man could bring a devastating fist into Link’s head. Glass shattered, fragments spraying along both of them, but cutting along Ganondorf’s face. He backed away to brush pieces away from his eyes, unable to open them without doing so first. It offered Link the chance to stumble weakly away and flip his knife into his right hand as he retrieved his sword again.

Ganondorf ran at Link, grabbing his sword off the ground as he did, and Link planted his feet, ducking at just the right angle that the Demon King went flying over his shoulder, landing on the ground on Link’s other side.

The motion of the bulky Ganondorf rolling across Link’s bruised back sent a searing pain through him that had him falling to his knees, and he realized that Shad’s potions were beginning to wear off already. He was acutely feeling the pain from his other wounds, most prominently from the one on his face.

But Ganondof’s hulking form was over him again, both men limping and breathing heavily. Link held his breath and stood, bringing his sword up to defend himself. Their swords met again, though with significantly less force than before in what became a battle of wills over strength.

Ganondorf was practically hopping to keep off his leg as he fought against Link, who spent the entire fight clutching his completely battered ribs that had never managed to heal in the first place.

Tired— _exhausted_ —Link managed to push Ganondorf back against a wall, landing _another_ harsh blow to the man’s injured leg, knowing it was his weakest point. Ganondorf tilted his body down to grab at his knee, and Link saw the small movement of chainmail falling forward.

With a cry and every single ounce of strength left in his body, Link rammed his sword up through the gap, piercing straight through Ganondorf with such force that the sword lodged into the wall, pinning Ganondorf in place.

Ganondorf screeched and reached out to grab Link, but he dodged and tucked his knife deep into the gap under Ganondorf’s armpit.

“That’s for Zelda,” he muttered, watching droplets of blood spew from his mouth as he spoke. His voice was hoarse and worn as he panted out short, shallow breaths. Anything bigger and he was afraid his lungs would burst.

Ganondorf’s body was shaking, but he managed to laugh, sickening and almost triumphant. “Pathetic.”

Link dragged the knife down through the Demon King’s skin, tearing a large gash through him. “For her family. I know she wanted to do this herself for their sakes.”

Ganondorf intentionally reared forward with a grunt, bringing himself closer to the hilt of the sword as he kept laughing, taunting Link with his strength even in his last moments.

Link grabbed Ganondorf’s collar and tugged it forward, plunging the knife down into the hollow of his throat. “For Hyrule.”

Blood poured from the Demon King, pooling around him on the floor as he finally stopped laughing and began to fall limp as air hissed from his mouth.

But before he could sag or breathe his last, Link wretched his hair back and ran the knife deep across Ganondorf’s throat for good measure, watching Ganondorf’s eyes involuntarily widen before going dim. “And that one was for me.”

He listened to the strained breathing as it went in and out one final time before it stopped in a long groan, leaving Ganondorf pinned to the wall by Link’s bloody sword, slinking forward against the hilt, finally lifeless.

In the safety of the moment, Link felt the immediate disintegration of all pain management his body had given him, and he collapsed into an end table, clutching his side and spitting out several globs of blood as the world spun. But he managed to get his legs to work just enough to he limped his way back to Zelda.

However, it happened again when he saw her body on the floor, lying in a pool of her own blood. His body went numb, and he somehow managed to throw himself to the ground beside her, pulling her into his arms as he hung his head over her, his back, his ribs, his face, his wounds all forgotten as he stared down at her pale, shaking body.

“Link?” she muttered, so low and weak that he barely heard it.

“He’s dead, Zelda. You did it.”

“Not me. You,” she whispered, trying to blink her eyes back open as they settled on his.

He pulled her against his chest, letting her head rest against him. He kept one hand close to the knife, resting lightly on her abdomen, while his other kept her head cradled upright.

“I don’t really want to argue right now. Later we can. I might even let you win,” he said, kissing her forehead as he felt a tear drip down from his eye and land in her hair.

“Link,” she whined, tilting her head back.

He moved his lips down to hers, bringing his hand up to lightly stroke the skin around her throat. “Come on, Zelda,” he said, pulling away. “Shad is here. Just fight a little longer.”

“It hurts,” she croaked out, her voice breaking into a sob. Her entire abdomen was on fire, sharp pains radiated out from the source, but a constant burning settled around her entire lower half, like she’d been tied to a pyre she couldn’t escape from. It brought an onslaught of fearful and pained tears to her eyes.

“I know,” Link whispered, brushing back her hair and trying to resist the urge to rock them in a comforting motion that they both needed, but he didn’t want to do _anything_ to jostle the knife. It was the _only_ thing keeping her alive.

“I can’t!” she whimpered. Involuntary noises kept escaping from her throat, and each one pierced through Link like an arrowhead, sending tears to his eyes as he tried to hold her shuddering body still for her. He was trembling, and it took a fair amount of his strength to keep her steady and keep the knife from moving around.

He bit his lip and shook his head. “You told me life was about more than surviving, but Zelda, don’t make me live it alone. Please. Stay. I promised you I’d try to survive tonight for your sake, now _please_ make me the same promise.”

She gasped several times in a row, unable to take a deep breath. “Link, take it out! You promised me you’d do it if I couldn’t. Please!” Again, she struggled to take a deep enough breath to speak. “I don’t want to die slowly.”

He shook his head and watched a teardrop fall from his face to hers, mixing with her own tears. “I can’t.” He grabbed her good hand and brought it up to his mouth, pressing a kiss to each knuckle. “Shad’s coming. They just have to find him. Hold on, _please_.” He’d never begged so much in his life.

With a soft shriek of pain, devoid of any and all energy, she nodded into him, closing her tired eyes with an uncontrollable flutter.

“No, no, Zelda!” he hissed, shaking her by the chin so he didn’t jostle her too much. “Come on. You can do it. Stay awake.” His eyes desperately darted toward the door before gluing back to her. “You owe me another seventy-nine years, Zelda.”

She let out a light breath this time, the faintest hint of a smile on her face. “Tell me about them.”

“What?”

“Tell me our life. If I’m going to die, let me live it.”

He pressed his lips together, unable to stop more tears from running down his cheeks as he held her tighter and tried to make his voice work without cracking.

“We, uh, we both get out of here _alive_ , and… and we run away.”

“Not after all this work,” she said with what sounded like a laugh.

He choked back half a laugh, half a sob. “Okay, we clean this place up and live here. And I’ll be your secret lover soldier man… I don’t know royal terms. What’s a male mistress? I’ll be your mistress, I guess?”

She barked out the remains of a laugh and immediately regretted it, feeling fresh tears roll down her cheek as her wound seared her skin from the movement. “D-don’t make me laugh. You can just be King.”

“Okay, it’s your fantasy,” he chuckled, leaning his forehead down against her as he continued. “We’d get a cat. I always wanted one. You can’t have pets at the garrisons.”

“Done,” she whispered, feeling her eyes close before she managed to force them open again.

“Gods,” Link choked out, feeling her hand go limp in his. He moved away, relieved to see her alert eyes still on him. “It was meant to be me, not you.”

“Keep going,” she breathed out.

He cursed under his breath and gritted his teeth, trying to stop another tear, if only for Zelda’s sake. He didn’t want to _do_ this. He just wanted Shad to show up. He didn’t trust his own voice.

“Um, King… hefty order there. I guess that means we have to do some crazy wedding thing for Hyrule, right?” She nodded into him, and he tasted his salty tear drip against his lip despite his best efforts. “A few days before, we sneak out of the castle and go back into the woods for a small ceremony with just us. Maybe our cat can come. Maybe not. We’d spend our wedding night at an inn with fake names. Shad would come find us in the morning, but he’d undoubtably just whip the door open like everyone else does. He’s the only one left, I think.”

She laughed again, willing to bear the excruciating pain that came with it.

“Uh, after a few years, your advisors tell you that you need an heir, but you’re already pregnant with the first of our twenty-six kids.”

She made a face and he found himself smiling into her hand as he brought it back up to his lips. “Oh, you want twenty- _seven;_ I got you. I knew you’d want them to have siblings, but that’s a bit aggressive. Your call though.”

“Link!” she cried, but he couldn’t tell if it was her playfully chastising him, laughing, or calling out his name in pain. Her grip in his hand tightened marginally.

His chest was physically hurting as he looked at her. “Gods, Zelda, don’t make me do this. _Please_.” Her skin was whiter than snow, her eyelids and lips were becoming more pronounced with purple.

“Just tell me how we die,” she gasped into him. He only barely heard her.

“It doesn’t happen tonight. At the same time of old age, easy. You’ll be old and wrinkly, remember?”

“Yeah,” she sighed, her eyes drifting helplessly closed.

Her body stopped shaking, and the only sign Link had that she was still alive was her slow, _sharp_ labored breathing.

He bent his lips to her ear and shook his head, sniffling. “I love you.”

Her lips moved, forming the words back, but there was no sound from them as her body started loosening in his arms. Her mouth went slack, her arms limp. He could _barely_ feel her pulse or hear her breathe.

And though he’d managed to decently control himself until that point, his body wracked with harsh sobs as he pulled her tighter against him.

“ _Shad_!” he screamed, his voice echoing desperately out of the room. And it became the only word he could manage, screaming it again and again until his voice was hoarse, tears freely streaming from his eyes as he looked down at her again and felt his own body shudder convulsively. Shad was her last hope, and he was running out of time to arrive.

“I love you,” he whispered, though he had no response at all this time. “Please. I’ll do anything. Just _please_! I’ll learn that stupid dance. I’ll take off my own arm. I’ll do _anything_. Just, _please_ , Zelda. Please stay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *crawls out from under desk and runs far, FAR away*


	54. Chapter 54

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this chapter is a little trippy, but you’ll know why as soon as you read it. It’s also present tense (unlike the rest of this fic). I tried writing this chapter like normal in past tense, and I hated it, so this chapter gets present tense. It should make sense why. If not, well… just pretend it does!

There is nothing but white: endless stretches of vast nothingness in the form of a bright colorless color. There are no walls, no floors. It’s just white light. And it’s warm, comforting, like a tight embrace only far more powerful.

Zelda can’t tell if she’s standing up or lying down. There’s a disorienting feeling to not knowing where the horizon is in an empty space. And it is empty. There’s nothing. _Nothing._

Zelda takes a step, but there is no echo, and no indication that her foot has touched anything. It’s just a step. She doesn’t move forward. She can’t. There’s nowhere to move.

It’s endless. Infinite.

When Zelda looks down, there’s no knife in her stomach, no indication that she’s ever been stabbed. She’s wearing a dress again, not armor. There’s no Link. No castle. No battle.

But there is _something_ that’s appearing from nowhere, and she squints into the distance to try and make it out.

“Zelda.”

She jumps because the voice is beside her, not in front of her. It’s not Link’s voice. It’s not Shad. But it is one she recognizes.

“Aelia?”

Her sister appears beside her, turning her head to face Zelda so her short blonde hair bounces with the movement. A wide smile appears on her lips, and she grabs her older sister, hugging her so tightly that Zelda thinks her bones will snap in the best possible way. She returns the embrace and feels tears, fresh, _happy_ tears start to run down her face.

“How are you here?” Zelda asks.

But Aelia rubs a circle on her sister’s back. “I’ve been here. It’s you who just showed up.”

And though Zelda has looked around already, it finally hits her that this is not natural. “Where _is_ here?”

Stepping back, Aelia runs her hand down and comes back up with a light cloud of fluff that disappears as if in the wind. “The Sacred Realm. We’re with the Goddess, Zelda.”

“What?” and her delusions of peace and calm come crashing down as she’s gripped with overwhelming panic. “That’s not… no…”

“You’re dying, Zelda. The Goddess is welcoming you home.”

“Home?”

Zelda turns to look at the white space, but is met by a pair of piercing blue eyes— _her own eyes—_ starring back at her. Only… the face isn’t hers. The hair is different. The voice, the body… none of it is the same. But there is no doubt in her mind. She’s looking at herself.

And then, that _other_ becomes another, and another, and another until there are thousands of _Zeldas_ encircling her in a seemingly endless spiral with herself at the center. None of them look the same, but it’s all undoubtably _her._

But with another blink, they’re gone.

Somehow, it doesn’t frighten her. “How long have I been here?”

Aelia skips her feet, not moving, but seeming to enjoy the motion. “Forever. A second. Time is different here. There’s no future, and there’s no past. There’s only present… only _now_. And later, there will be another _now_ , but there is no in-between. Time is a human concept. There’s no need for it here.” She watches Zelda’s face contort in confusion and laughs, light, airy, a sound Zelda missed desperately. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”

“Can we grow old? Can I get to see you live?”

Aelia shrugs in a sort of affirmative, gesturing to the space off to her right. And they watch as Aelia appears there, older, perhaps in her thirties. A scene appears behind her: sky, trees, a log, a book. She looks regal, like a queen.

“You can have that life,” Aelia says as the scene disappears. Zelda looks back at her still sixteen-year-old sister, still confused. “Mom and dad are here. You can be with us, and we can be in the _now_ forever.”

“They’re here?”

“It’s not bad here, Zelda, I promise.” Aelia laughs. “The Goddess gives us the chance to live however we want. For us, there is no Ganondorf. There’s no war. There’s only peace, and we’re happy in it. You can forget _why_ you’re here and just be with us. Look.”

She points into the distance and takes Zelda’s hand, guiding her across the nothingness towards that _something._ And that _thing_ quickly turns into walls, a tall entryway with elaborate windows lining the edges. There are paintings: royals, scenery, food, anything and everything. It’s all familiar. It’s her home manifesting before her.

The ground becomes solid and Zelda feels her feet touch the marble floors once again as she used to. Carpeted staircases appear, and there are no broken banisters or blood or signs of anything happening. Her mind forgets that there ever was evil in the castle.

And soon, there are footsteps. Two sets.

Zelda feels tears well up in her eyes again when she looks at the staircase. There is a beautiful blonde woman with long, wavy hair that’s been neatly pinned back. She’s in a flowing purple and blue dress, and a large crown sits atop her head. Her brown eyes are soft and kind, loving and welcoming and warm.

The man beside her has a _big_ smile on his face, one that looks like it could actually cause pain if held for too long. He has a beard and greying hair that’s tied back into a low but neat ponytail. And he’s wearing a royal vest, complete with every adornment from a Hylian broach to a billowing cape. His crown is lopsided as he hurries down the stairs, practically tripping into Zelda as he pulls her into his arms and then pulls back to look at her. There are tears in his eyes, but he lets go to give the queen a chance to embrace her daughter.

For a moment, and only behind her eyes, she can see their bloodied bodies lying on the ground in front of her with Ganondorf laughing at her vicious screams. But when her eyes open again, the memory disappears because they are all here in front of her, alive.

And before she knows it, Zelda is living day after day as if nothing had ever happened. She can’t remember the details, just that she’s _there_ , and her parents and her sister are there. They’re happy. And she forgets that this isn’t her life but the Sacred Realm because it’s everything she’d ever wanted.

She’s walking through a corridor in a fine dress that trails behind her. Marnie, her lady’s maid, is following behind, though not so far that they can’t have a conversation as they walk. Zelda’s attention is on the girl when she feels a hard thud and turns around.

A tall, muscular soldier turns to face her, his mouth dropping open and his head bowing, letting his dirty blonde hair fall in front of his face. “Forgive me, Princess Zelda.”

She blinks a few times, her heart fluttering as his blue eyes look up and meet hers, holding her gaze in a way very few soldiers do. “Wh-why are you sorry? I crashed into you.”

He breathes out a laugh and smirks. And Goddess, if that isn’t the most inappropriately attractive look she’s ever seen. And judging by his uniform, he’s a simple soldier, not a high-ranking commander, or a lord. So, when he snorts, she finds herself momentarily stunned by his words.

“You’re right, Princess. I’m not sorry. Feel free to crash into me again anytime, actually.”

Her mouth drops open and she can hear Marnie step forward to chastise him, but the way his eyes glisten, the easy flirty tone in his voice… it has Zelda waving her lady’s maid away.

Her brows furrow. “Have we met?”

He breathes out another laugh and shakes his head, some of his hair falling into his eyes again as he does, so he pushes it out of the way to looksat her almost sheepishly, though there’s still a boldness in his words that has her intrigued. No one has _ever_ treated her this way. They’ve never been so forward.

But _he_ is. “I’m afraid not. I’d _definitely_ remember if we had. No, I’m, uh, I’m stationed at Hyrule’s Western Garrison. I’m just here to deliver a message to the commander.”

“Yeah,” she agrees with an interested smile. “I’m pretty sure I’d remember you too. What’s your name, soldier?”

“Link Forrester, Princess.”

As she looks at him, something familiar hits her. She sees his eyes a thousand times over as different bodies branch out from a spiral. All of them this ‘Link Forrester’, and yet not him. And as it had been when she’d seen herself, it was gone in an instant, and she was left staring at _just_ him.

“Are you staying here long?”

His eyebrows go up a bit, surprised that she’s still talking to him. He makes a face and shakes his head. “I don’t know. Until they tell me to go back, really.”

“Okay,” she says coyly and with a smile as she walks away from him without another word.

And she can feel time pass as she lives her life. She spends meals with her parents, she jokes with her sister, she sleeps in her bed.

And one day, she’s outside in the beautiful gardens sitting on a wicker chair with her legs crossed underneath herself. She’s playing chess, and her opponent is herself. But as she goes to move the knight, she finds that she can’t put it down, like it’s caught her in a trance. She knows this piece from somewhere. The piece meant something to her once. She just… her mind is too fuzzy to figure it out on her own. She does manage to put it down and lets out a deep breath.

Then a hand reaches over her shoulder and moves a rook.

“Check.”

She startles and spins around to see the handsome soldier, Link. She doesn’t know how long it’s been since she’d last seen him, but somehow, his intrusion on her game or in her personal space isn’t unwelcome like she thinks it should be. “Link Forrester. You’re back?”

“You remembered my name?” he chuckles, but she can see and hear the genuine surprise in him as his neck reddens. “I was transferred here a few days ago, actually. I was on my way back to the barracks when I got lost. It seems we’re destined to meet no matter what, Princess.”

“A little dramatic,” she laughs, but offers him the seat across from her. “How did you get lost?”

And they talk through two more games. She has to coax some of the conversation out of him whenever he really remembers who he’s speaking to, but for the most part, there’s an easy banter between them, as if they’d known each other forever.

Soon, she does.

Her days are spent with her family. She celebrates her father’s birthday by giving him a quilt she and Aelia had made for him. She celebrates her own birthday and then Aelia’s shortly after. Her mother’s is last. The four of them live in peace, all arranged marriages called off. With the kingdom at peace, there’s no need for it.

But her nights are spent with Link.

At first, she’d accidently found his patrol routes, and then she ‘ _accidently’_ found them. He welcomed her unexpected company when he patrolled the boring pathways of the gardens. And then he eagerly anticipated her company, the dull gardens turning into his favorite part of his patrols.

After a time, it had been there in the privacy behind hedges and overgrown flowers that she had kissed him. And while she’d expected him to panic, given their status differences, neither cared. It was inconsequential here.

But as the seasons changed again, his patrols moved indoors, and their moments were stolen behind closed doors, and now, they’re behind _locked_ ones. At night, he comes to her room and leaves during the guard change in the morning.

Aelia knows. She’d figured it out quickly, and helps Zelda keep it a secret for Link’s sake, though she’s pretty sure their parents would actually _like_ Link. Aelia’s met him, and they quickly developed a sibling-like bond. And while Zelda doesn’t want to overshare anything with her teenaged sister, she occasionally catches herself gushing to her about things she and Link talked about, or activities they’d done. He’d snuck her out of Castle Town, and she’d taken him to a hidden spring beneath the castle. Well, she leaves the details of _that_ adventure rather vague.

“Zelda,” he says, turning to her. They’re on the floor of her room by the fire. She’s lying against his leg and he’s leaning against some piece of furniture as he strokes her hair. She hums her acknowledgement and waits for him to speak, but he doesn’t.

“Link?”

He’s older than the last time she saw him. Years have passed, but not too many. So when he doesn’t respond to her right away, she knows that he’s working up the courage to say something serious, something he can’t joke his way out of.

“I’m being transferred. Your father wants me on the border of your cousin’s kingdom. It’s weeks away by horse. I can’t say no to your father… the _King_.”

She gasps and shakes her head, looking to the door as if he’s there. “Why would he do that?”

“Politics. You’d know better than I would. But Zelda…gods…if I asked you to run away with me, what would happen?”

Her eyebrows shoot up, completely taken aback. “What would happen… in what way, exactly?”

“Would you do it?”

A small sound escapes her lips as she considers what he’s asked her. “My family is here. My parents, my sister…”

“And I’m too far away from them,” he nods. Despite the disappointment in his voice, he understands. He’s always understood.

“No, that’s not what I mean,” she says, reaching out for his hand. “I want to say yes. But…” and her head is buzzing with pain for the first time in years. “Have you ever felt like something bad happened, and you’ve been given a second chance here?”

When she looks back up at him, he looks different again. He’s younger, and there are several scars on his face. One is long and still raw as it runs down his eye, splitting the hair of his eyebrow. The other is underneath that one, much less aggressive, but still healing. It’s horizontal across his cheek. She doesn’t understand why he looks different, but it doesn’t bother her. It’s _him,_ after all _._

“No,” he says easily. And it’s an easy smile and a glint in his eye that she sees a flirty comment on the horizon, and she smiles, patiently waiting for it. He laughs at her expression and bends down the short distance between them so he can lower his lips to her ear. “ _Any_ life with you in it can’t be half bad.” He teases her lips but pulls away far too soon for her liking.

She starts to reciprocate her feelings but realizes she can’t do so without giving him potentially false hope. She’s just told him that she wants to live here with her family rather than to run away with him. But… she _wants_ to choose him too. Something deep inside her knows that she’s picking one of them _forever_ and not just for a few weeks or months or even years.

“I finally have them back,” she says, feeling like a young child rather than a grown woman. Tears come to her eyes as she thinks about losing one of her choices forever.

“I know,” he says, brushing her hair out of the way so he can caress her face. “I love you. Whatever you choose, I’ll understand, even if it’s not me. I just need you to be happy.”

But before she can respond, he disappears, and she’s left back in the white void of nothingness where she started. And she remembers that she’s _not_ in the palace. That time is _not_ passing.

There’s a hand in front of her, gloved, lithe, small. She takes it and is looking at herself. _Exactly_ herself.

“We choose our paths, but sometimes, destiny decides who we meet along the way. It’s time for you to choose your path. Your family awaits you down both roads.”

“Who are you?” Zelda asks… herself.

But the _other_ her just smiles. “Who do you think I am?”

With a frustrated sigh, Zelda throws her hands up. “Viscen, apparently, with a question like that.”

And she pauses, recognizing that she’d forgotten Viscen. She’d forgotten the pain of seeing him… of seeing Finn… Ashei… the unknown fate that befell Seres… Daltus. The names start to have meaning again. Even Link, _her_ Link, she'd forgotten. This place had taken her back to a time when she hadn't known any of them. But the mere thought of them, dead, tortured, her heart aches with a horrible pain that she longs to be rid of. She doesn’t want to remember seeing the terrifying sights behind her eyes.

Here, it’s forgotten and replaced by the joy and happiness she feels with her family. Here, she is with her sister, her parents, the people she’d loved and lost at the palace before the massacre. She’s happy with them back in her life.

This world is not _real_. The other one is _too_ real.

And she realizes that she’s not sure which version of her life she wishes _is_ real. 


	55. Chapter 55

Link twirled the knight chess piece around in his hands. A week ago, when they’d brought her here from the castle, Ellie had found it in Zelda’s bag of things that she’d left back in the medical tent.

He leaned back in the chair, unable to move very much himself anyway, and watched her, hoping that he’d see her stir or twitch or cough or blink or _something._

It became the central part of his daily ritual, which consisted of _very_ few things. He would wake up in his designated medical room, two doors down from the one Zelda was in, as per Shad’s orders. Link shared his room with two other injured soldiers who’s company he’d been enjoying for the past week, but it still wasn’t enough to make him content to be so far from Zelda. One of his roommates had been completely paralyzed in the battle, but his main coping mechanism had become humor. Link was happy to indulge in those conversations. He needed the distraction much as the soldier did. The other had sustained a small injury that had burst into a massive infection and left him bedridden. It had been Shad’s idea to give Link a different room to motivate him to move from room to room as his light exercise to slowly work his battered body where Link would stay for several hours before tiring from too many potions and exertion before going back to his room to sleep.

The injured had taken up residence in a nearby town, most of whom had evacuated long before the battle. It left plenty of space to treat everyone.

For the first few days, Link had been unable to get out of bed, and Shad had given him potion after potion. When Shad had taken off all of Link’s armor to assess the extent of the damage, he’d been horrified.

The worst injury was the one Shad had treated in the field: the massive laceration down his face. It ran from above his eyebrow down to his jaw, and crossed in the middle with a separate wound, the one from the arrow. There was also a long cut down the side of Link’s arm from Shad and Link’s last-ditch attempt to save Zelda.

But his _body_ had been battered with horrible, deep bruises. His ribs were jutting straight out of his skin in places where they’d fractured or cracked. There was a gash where his armor had bent into him during his fight with the unnatural dinofols. His neck showed evidence of choking and a few smaller cuts. His right hand was burning with an infection, likely from a rusty blade. His face was swollen from being hit and landing against any and everything. There were distinctive boot marks on his chest, two deep cuts along his thigh, two broken fingers, and his back was _entirely_ purple, green, and blue.

Owl had dosed Link with heavily potent potions that left him unconscious so he could deal with several of Link’s internal wounds without worrying about involuntary movements. Link looked like a patched up pair of pants. Stitches covered his face, the back of his head, his side, his leg, his hand, his arm, his neck. Gods, if there was a place that he _hadn’t_ been injured, it wasn’t easily found.

But once he’d been able to get back on his feet, at least enough to vaguely shuffle across the room, he’d spent most of his days pacing—though he was chastised for that—or resting by Zelda’s bed.

For _days_ , there hadn’t been a single sign of movement from her. The physicians had practically ripped her open in multiple places in their attempts to save her, and still, she didn’t need so much as a potion to relax her. She couldn’t be woken. They’d snapped her bones into place in her wrist, setting them without so much as a twitch from her. But she was breathing. Shallow, strained, but breathing. And that was _something_.

Link set the chess piece down, now—a week later—healing from the worst of his injuries. His face was no longer stitched together pieces of his skin, but two long, red, healing scars. They’d be permanent and noticeable, even when they were done healing. His fingers were wrapped still, as was most of his body, in some way. His back completely wrapped in bandages to keep a small rod in place, a gentle reminder _not_ to move as often as he did. His ribs were left uncovered, being mostly internal and difficult to wrap. There was a sunken-in stretch of skin where his rib had moved back when it broke, and he was tried to remember not to bend. He was in loose pants that hung lightly off of him, keeping the wounds on his thigh hidden from most people. He didn’t wear a shirt—the very motion of tugging his arms through the sleeves proved to be too difficult for now—but he didn’t need to. He had bandages wrapped around most of his torso acting in some ways as a shirt would. They covered most of his stitches, including the one on his face, just barely below his eye so he could see, since he had a habit of popping a few from overexertion or movement, no matter how many lectures he received.

It was no different as Link stood up and limped around the room, spending his limited pent-up energy as he wondered _again_ if it was his fault that Zelda was in this state.

Gods, he could find a thousand different things he could have done differently. Maybe he could have gotten to her faster. Maybe it had been _him_ and his panic that had left her this way. He’d forgotten to do something, or he’d pushed Shad _too_ far in his demands that she be saved. Shad and Owl had assured him that it wasn’t his fault, but the nagging idea never went away.

_Link’s body was convulsing as he clutched Zelda for dear life. One of his arms kept her supported, and the other stayed against her neck, praying to the Goddess that he never felt the light drumming of her pulse stop._

_After she’d gone limp in his arms, he couldn’t remember what he’d said to her, but he could remember that he never stopped talking into her ear, hoping that somewhere deep down, she could still hear him._

_His head whipped up at the sound of racing footsteps, but Link couldn’t even find the strength to reach for his own knife. He was beaten down in every way between his fight with Ganondorf and returning to Zelda. Besides, his arms couldn’t let go of her if he wanted to._

_“Wh—” Shad said, bursting into the room before skidding to a halt, eyes widening. “Is she…”_

_Link’s head shook frantically. “No,” he choked out. “Help her, please,” he begged._

_Shad looked her over before his eyes went to the pooled blood on the floor and brought a hand despairingly to his mouth. “Gods, how much of this blood is hers?”_

_Link felt himself stutter as he looked himself over. He couldn’t bring himself to say it, but the silence was clear: most of it._

_“Link,” Shad said, trying to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. “She’s lost too much blood. If I tried to do anything at all for her, she’d just bleed out. I’m sorry. We’re not equipped for this here.”_

_“What do you need? I’ll get it.”_

_“You are in no condition to move around either.”_

_“I don’t give a shit, Shad,” Link spat, his fear turning to venom. “Are you not going to try to save the damn Princess of Hyrule, or am I going to hold her until she dies because you’re less than half the physician I thought you were?”_

_Shad didn’t recoil from the burning rage emitting from Link. He just squeezed Link’s shoulder, understanding. “Link, we have nothing here. I need blood—”_

_“Take mine. Take the whole damn vein from my arm if that’s what you need.”_

_“Link, please,” he sighed, though it was impossible to stop his own regretful tear from spilling. “Let me help her pass in peace.”_

_He reached for the hilt of the knife in her abdomen, but before Link could stop himself, his hand was crushing Shad’s wrist, stopping him with far more force than he’d intended. “Don’t. Don’t touch her.”_

_Shad made a gesture, a silent promise to back down, and Link let go, returning his fingers to the pulse on her neck._

_“Link… I’ll hurt her more than help her. Your blood might kill her. We don’t have the equipment to test it. We have nothing here, and she doesn’t have time for me to return with everything we’d need.”_

_“There are fairies in this castle. Two. She told me once. They can save her.”_

_Shad’s eyes lit up for a moment but dulled in the same second. “We don’t know where they are. It will take too long and she’ll be gone.”_

_“Why are you determined to let her die? You’re her friend, and we both trusted you!” Link snapped. “She’s fighting to keep breathing, so fight for her!”_

_Shad ran his hands through his hair and pulled his bag off his shoulders, sitting down in the blood with nowhere else to go. “If, by the Goddess’ miracle, she survives, she’s going to get a horrible infection. I’m going to have to improvise these tools, use dirty instruments, cut into her on a dirty, bloody floor. She’s at a high risk of death even if she makes it out of this room. Just be prepared for that.”_

_Link nodded vigorously, his expression lightening marginally as turned to his two soldiers who’d returned with Shad. “You have to find those fairies. If Ganondorf knew about them, they’ll be somewhere he can quickly get to. One of his soldiers must know. Finn can get it out of them. Start in the places he frequented the most.”_

_Shad stopped pulling his things out and looked over at Link, taking a deep breath. “Link, Finn was injured. We found him just after leaving you. He lost his leg, seven or eight others were killed. We treated him as best we could…”_

After Link had done several laps around the room, he sat in the chair between the two beds. Only this time, he didn’t face Zelda.

“You bother me when you do that,” Finn muttered, glaring weakly at Link. “Please sit still.”

“I can’t.”

“Then do anything but pace, please.”

Link glanced at the dip in Finn’s blanket where his leg should be. “Sorry.”

“Why not get some air?”

Link ran his hands across his face. “I can’t go that far yet. Stairs. Shad will kill me if I tried anyway.”

“Then go pace in the hallway next time.”

Snorting, Link glanced back at Zelda, checking on her for the eighth time that minute. “The only two people I give a shit about right now are in this room.”

“Did you go to the funeral for the fallen?”

“Yeah, I managed to go to that. Shad practically had to carry me down the stairs.” He felt their losses hitting too heavily and turned to his best friend with a rueful smirk. “I tossed your leg into the pyre for you.”

Finn cackled. “Oh, thanks.”

Link stood up and spun his chair to face Zelda, grabbing her hand as he rested his head down against his arms in one of the few comfortable positions he’d found recently. His eyes were on her chest, watching the steady rise and fall that proved she was breathing, even if he couldn’t hear her small breaths. It was a small comfort.

“You fell a little too hard, man,” Finn said, watching Link’s back, but knowing exactly what was happening. “You never have half-assed anything, have you?”

Finn had only woken two days earlier from his own potion-induced sleep to let his injury heal. Owl had removed _more_ of the remaining parts of his leg, and there was very little remaining. He’d suffered a slight infection that he was on the tail-end of recovering from.

Since Finn had caught them together before the battle, Link had offered to explain anything, so Finn felt thoroughly caught up.

Snickering, Link rolled his eyes and buried his head into the mattress, eyes burning with exhaustion. “Well, I love her. Can’t really help that one. We already tried.”

“Shad told me what you did. He said you’re the only reason she’s still alive now.”

“Mmm, Shad’s a liar,” Link muttered halfheartedly. “She’d do it for me. She’s done some crazy things for me. She fought Reese off of me when he stabbed me, she killed someone who tried to kill me. I mean, gods…”

His words trailed off as he looked at her with admiration. He knew that if _anyone_ could come back from the brink of death, it was her. And if she couldn’t do it, no one could.

He looked over at the long bandage that covered most of his forearm.

_“It’s going to hurt,” Shad warned as he brought the knife deeply into Link’s arm. Truth be told, Link was already in so much pain that he barely felt it. “We’re just going to do this until someone finds that fairy. If you pass out, I have to stop, and I can’t risk guessing on a second person’s blood. Using you is enough of a risk. She’ll die if we’re wrong.”_

_“She’ll die if we’re wrong, and she’ll die if we do nothing.” Link watched Shad wipe some of the blood away so he could get a clear look into Link’s arm. “You’ve got this, Shad,” he said. He regretted his earlier words._

_Shad looked like a panicked mess as he worked to secure Link’s arm. “We need that fairy. I can’t… I can’t do this without it.”_

_There were two soldiers guarding the doors to ensure none of Ganondorf’s stragglers made their way inside. The other available soldiers were scouring the castle looking for a fairy. The rest were still fighting. With no one leading either side, the remaining fighters didn’t know that the Demon King and Princess of Hyrule were both down._

_As much as Shad wanted to call for Oton for assistance, he knew that there were hundreds of soldiers that needed tending. So, Link and Shad were the only two in the room, and Link was about to be very little help._

_“Okay,” he said finally, retrieving his second knife from the roaring fire in the other room before taking his place. He had his bag of equipment wide open, everything as ready as possible. There were tubes, vials, tools. Link didn’t understand any of it. It would all be on Shad. “Lie down, Link. This will make you dizzy and weak after a while, and you’re already in bad shape. Let’s just hope you last longer than it takes them to return with the fairy.”_

_“I will. How will you know if it’s working?”_

_Shad let out a strangled noise and kept his eyes off Link. “If she doesn’t die, it’s working.”_

Link woke up in the chair, still holding on to Zelda. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, in pain from the contorted way the metal against his back and his stupid sleeping position had fought against one another. Finn was asleep as well, despite the sun in the window. The potions they’d all been taking had thrown everyone completely off.

“Link?” a voice from the doorway said, and he realized he’d woken thanks to their presence.

He looked up to see Maryse and Ellie. “Hey,” he mumbled, taking a deep breath and pushing his hair back before slowly standing. “I’ll get out of your way.”

Ellie passed him, her wide eyes on Zelda as they were every time she entered the room. She often enjoyed sitting with the Princess, filling her in with stories of the goings on of the town. There was ample gossip, but most of the town was filled with injured soldiers, so a majority of her stories involved how she’d helped treat different wounds, or helped a woman walk for the first time since the battle.

But today wasn’t a social call. Maryse was here to take care of Zelda, to help her take some potions, sustenance, to wash her, to move her around, to check on her wounds.

Shad had forced the same rule on Link that he’d done to Zelda. Link wasn’t allowed to help, not in his state, but _specifically_ because of his feelings for Zelda. While Shad admitted that Link fiercely fighting him about treating Zelda had saved her life, it was also proof that Link had very little control of himself when it came to Zelda.

Ellie went to shake Finn awake. She’d become quite good at assisting with things that weren’t particularly medical in nature. She helped him into a chair with wheels on it and brought him outside the room for some ‘air’.

As Link passed Maryse, she patted his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He offered her a weak smile. _Everyone_ knew about him and Zelda. After her display before the battle and his behavior, there were very few people who hadn’t figured them out on some level.

“She’ll wake up,” Maryse offered.

Link nodded and stepped into the hall, pressing himself against the wall for support. Simply standing sent sharp pains through his entire back.

Returning to his room, he all but collapsed onto his bed, but saw a letter on his pillow, grabbing it first.

_“Link, I’m glad to hear you are well, and I regret to hear of the Princess’s unchanged state. I am packing now and will arrive in a few days. Thank you for your latest update. I passed your message along. Prince Daltus has settled in and is assuming control of Damel, so he will not be joining me yet. He has given several documents to bring down, and I will fill you in on all the details then. Rest assured, we remained safe, despite the threat. And our surprising allies have also mostly returned home, though Prince Daltus is entertaining a few at the house still. A letter from you on the Princess’ behalf might be useful. Prince Daltus recommends it. Please let Finn know that I am thinking of him and praying to the Goddess for him, as I am for all of you. I will see you all soon. -Seres”_

Link smiled to himself and set the letter aside, too tired to do anything with it yet.

When he’d first woken up, he’d heard rumors of an attack on Damel, and had immediately sent Seres a letter that had gone with their fastest rider. She’d informed him that King Zora’s river scouts had intercepted a soldier, a messenger from Viscen, warning about the impending attack. He’d already sent his soldiers south through the waterways, not being land fighters themselves, and they’d warned Seres of the attack before it could happen, their increased forces and lack of a signal from Ganondorf stemming off any attack.

After that, for reasons he didn’t understand, everyone had turned to Link for answers.

But he was far too tired to deal with the letter or any of his apparent responsibilities. No one had approached him for the day, and he was going to take advantage of his free time. As his eyes drifted shut, his brain kept bringing him places he didn’t want to go.

_“We’ve got one!” a soldier yelled, bursting into the room._

_Link was struggling to keep himself conscious. Even just turning his head made him nauseous and had the world spinning._

_But Shad nearly cried in relief, grabbing the bottle with the fairy in it._

_His face fell when he looked at it, sparking concerned looks from everyone in the room._

_“It’s not a fully grown fairy. This one is a child. There were no others?”_

_The soldier ran her hands along her face. “No. There was smashed glass nearby, so perhaps there had been a second one at some point, but this was all we could find.”_

_“What’s wrong?” Link managed._

_Shad worked on undoing the lid to the bottle. “Not only is it cruel to force a child fairy to heal someone, but they are simply not strong enough for it yet. This will not fully heal Zelda. It will be the equivalent of a potion, not a true fairy.”_

_“Can you still use it?” a soldier asked._

_“I will,” Shad said through gritted teeth. He certainly didn’t_ want _to, but for the Princess, he would. “But now I have no choice but to operate entirely.”_

_And they did use the fairy. It allowed everyone some room to breathe as the battle started to settle down. And it gave them time to wait for help to arrive as Shad worked delicately on Zelda’s wounds, stitching up wounds and draining blood from places it most assuredly didn’t belong in._

_Owl and a team of volunteers eventually managed to arrive with supplies when it was calm enough. He was surprised by Shad’s willingness to play the odds, and they worked quickly to find a suitable soldier willing to offer their blood in Shad’s painful, makeshift, unsterilized, short tube as a replacement for Link, who was drifting in and out, no longer able to follow Shad’s basic instructions or clench a fist._

_The last thing he’d seen was Zelda lying beside him. In the next, he found finding himself in a clean room._

The same room he woke up in now.

The sun was setting through the window, and he rolled out of the bed to return to Finn and Zelda, opting to go back instead of trying to sleep once again. When he went in, Zelda was alone. Finn still hadn’t returned. Link figured Ellie had managed to get his chair down the steps for a better breath of air, so Link took his seat beside Zelda and took her hand again, resuming his usual place.

“So,” he said, resting his other hand on his chin, relieved for the rare times he could talk to her without anyone listening in. “Don’t hate me, but I did another thing. Everyone was stressed out about what to do with Ganondorf’s body, and gods, I couldn’t even guess what you would have wanted, but they kept asking _me_ as if I’d know, so I told them to just keep it somewhere for now. I don’t even know where, but I wrote to Daltus again for his opinion. Sounds like Seres might have that answer. She’ll be here in a few days. I didn’t think burying him or offering him a warrior’s pyre was appropriate. I couldn’t think of anything else to do other than to ask Daltus for help. I’m sure he’s loving that.

“They kept asking me about your family’s bodies as well. This time, I _know_ what you want for them, but I also know you’d want to be there, so I told them to settle your family into the royal crypt for now. It’s the best I could think of. I don’t know what in the nine hells I’m doing or why everyone is coming to me with these questions. Ellie said it’s because I’m close to you, but I don’t get how that makes me qualified for this.

“Oh, they keep calling me Commander, too. It was fine during the battle. I’m not going to stop a fight to correct them every time, but now while we’re all safe, they won’t stop. People I don’t even know keep calling me that. I’m not Ashei. I’m not even close.

“Bardo came by again this morning. He’s doing better. I know he told you all that, but… I don’t know. I just hope you can hear us. Maybe you can. Maybe you just can’t respond. Or… I don’t know.”

He leaned back in his chair, needing a moment to breathe through his own pain shooting through him. He knew it was time to find Shad for another potion.

But his eyes unwittingly closed again, still tired from earlier.

And as usual, he saw _her_ in his dreams.

_He was in an unfamiliar room, clearly somewhere in the palace, sitting in front of a large fireplace that warmed the entirety of the room. And Zelda was lying her head on his lap, one of her arms bent to hold his upper arm as his fingers ran through her hair. He smiled down at her and his other hand rested on her stomach, clasped in her own hand the way he held hers while she slept. And even if it was only a dream, seeing her healthy, with a soft smile that betrayed very little but contentment... it had him breathe a sigh of peaceful relief._

_“Have you ever felt like something bad happened, and you’ve been given a second chance here?”_

_He didn’t know what she meant, but judging from the pristine state of the bedroom he was apparently in, he imagined that his dream was taking place in the castle before Ganondorf._

_But dreams aren’t real. There was no second chance. There was only_ his _Zelda lying motionless in a bed back in the real world. Still, he could enjoy a moment with her here. It was rare that his dreams of her were so peaceful._

_“No,” he said easily. And as he looked down at her, he almost felt like he was really looking at her. There was something about her that didn’t have that dream-like quality that usually accompanied the times he’d see her at night. And gods, she was glowing in the firelight, casting shadows across her features that made his hand itch to trace the outline. He was about to tell her how beautiful she is, though his brain ran through several more playful variations of the phrase, when he saw her smile, like she could see the wheels turning in his brain. Like she does in real life._

_It had him laughing before he found himself unable to do anything but bend down and tease her, bringing his lips dangerously close to hers before veering off towards her ear. “Any life with you in it can’t be half bad.” He brought his lips down to brush lightly against hers before pulling back, satisfied with the way she arched up to try and chase his almost-kiss._

_But her expression changed to one that was far more serious, and tears began to fill her eyes. “I finally have them back.”_

_He nodded. Looking around the room, it was almost like their two brains were sharing a space. He knew that she was in a world where her parents and sister existed. Her dreams had always taken her back there, where she always longed to be. He knew her deepest desires, and foremost of them was that she could be with her family again._

_“I know,” he said, brushing her hair out of the way. He needed to feel her skin, and it felt_ real _as his fingers traced down her cheekbone and jaw. “I love you. Whatever you choose, I’ll understand, even if it’s not me. I just need you to be happy.”_

His eyes shot open as he sucked in a deep breath and leaned over her body. Running his hands across his face and through his hair, he considered going back to his room, if only to try to avoid more haunted dreams. But instead, he found his head dropping right back down onto her mattress as he groaned.

“Gods, please just wake up, Zelda.”

He felt a light breeze tickle his ear, like the whisper of the Goddess herself.

But that didn’t make sense.

His head shot up, eyes alert and on the door before he realized what was happening.

Zelda’s fingers were brushing against his ear as her hand stretched out toward him. Her eyes were slits, but they were open, staring at him, unblinking.

His mouth dropped open, his hand moving to cover it as he stared back at her. He wasn’t sure if he was dreaming, or if what he was seeing was real.

She winced in pain, and Link’s hand shot out towards her, though never managing to find somewhere to land, still too dumbstruck to say a word or consciously react to her.

She could tell.

Her mouth began forming small shapes before managing to whisper two words: “I stayed.”


	56. Chapter 56

“Zelda!” he finally managed to breathe.

And it was a _breath_.

She was the air that he hadn’t been able to breathe since she’d gone limp in his arms. Her name released the tight, constricted snake that had been slowly squishing his chest.

He stood up from his chair and knelt over her, his mouth still dropped open in shock as he wrapped his arms under hers and pressed his forehead against her, letting out a breathless laugh that quickly turned giddy.

He could hear her light breaths in his ear as her weak arms put some pressure on him, her attempt at a return embrace. It was only after he shifted ever so slightly that her arms slowly made their way up to cradle his face, shaking with strained effort against his skin as her fingers lightly traced his jaw.

“Are you okay?” she whispered, unable to bring her voice any louder. Her fingernail ran along the bandage on his cheek.

He pressed his hand against hers and nodded. “Am _I_ okay? Zelda, it’s nothing. Are _you_ okay?”

She took two sharp breaths and shook her head. “It hurts. Is it still there?”

Link kissed her forehead and brought his hand lightly to her abdomen, featherweight pressure just so she could feel the absence of the knife. “No. Shad got it out. He saved you.”

“You did too,” she said, turning her face into his, though she couldn’t quite manage the energy to do much more.

“No, _you_ saved all of us. And don’t argue with me. I’m not in the mood to let you win anymore.”

She breathed out a laugh, her tilting lips the only indicator that she wasn’t just breathing heavily. “Are you crying?” she asked, feeling something wet against her cheek.

He moved his hands to her head and her back, nodding. “Yeah. I’m relieved. And I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy. You’re _alive_ and you’re talking, not just breathing. You… you can’t just die on me, Zelda. When we got back, Shad said he lost you once, but didn’t want to tell me. You, Zelda, are a badass warrior queen if I’ve ever seen one. I wouldn’t want to face you in a fight.”

She hummed into him, a content sound. “Where are we?”

He moved his hands again, unable to keep them still against her. “An abandoned town. We’re with all the injured.”

“What happened to you?” she tried again, her eyes blinking rapidly to try and stay open as she looked at his cheek again.

“I’m fine, really. Listen, I have to get Shad. I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Wait!” she hissed, grabbing his wrist. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything, opting to cling to him instead.

“I swear,” he whispered, pulling her hand from his wrist and kissing it. “His room is just down the hall. I’ll be back in ten seconds. Would have been faster, but I have a limp.”

“A limp?”

He kissed her hand again. “Worry about yourself first, okay? I’m fine. Shad says you have a dangerous infection.”

“Great,” she moaned, her head lolling over as she looked at Finn’s empty bed, none the wiser to the occupant.

“Ten seconds,” Link promised.

He was back in seven.

* * *

“Tell me again,” Zelda whispered, still unable to get the volume of her hoarse voice much higher.

Link rolled his eyes, glad she couldn’t see him. He was sitting with her in the bed, his arms wrapped around her waist as she laid back into him. It was excruciating to feel her against his ribs, but it was a pain he welcomed wholeheartedly and had trapped her against him so she couldn’t try to move away for his sake. He’d found some way to hold her since the moment she’d woken up last night. Only Shad had managed to get him out of the room, despite both their protests, insisting he should check Zelda’s wounds privately. It was then that Ellie had brought Finn back, and the news quickly broke that the Princess was awake.

When he and Link had been allowed back into the room, she’d begun crying again, her own tears of relief at seeing him alive after what she’d witnessed. And to his surprise, he found himself shedding a few of his own, not realizing just how much she meant to him as well. But his relief also extended to Link, relief _for_ his suffering best friend.

Link had kissed Zelda briefly, and her eyes shot to Shad. But Finn had been the one to break the news to Zelda that she and Link didn’t need to hide because the entire army was gossiping about Link and Zelda after her very public display of affection before the battle.

Now, Finn sat forward off his bed grinning at Link’s obvious embarrassment.

Zelda still had to take a second glance at the spot where Finn’s leg had once been, despite talking with him earlier in the night. Sometimes, when she caught a glimpse of the remaining stub, darkness crept over her eyes, and she was in a small room watching her people being beheaded or impaled until they got to Finn and his screams would echo in her ears. She’d find herself pressed back harder into Link until she could push the thoughts aside and focus on something real, something in front of her.

“Oh Princess, I’ll tell this story anytime,” Finn said, smirking in Link’s direction. “So, we were riding through town following our Commander when we saw him go into this brothel…”

“Hello,” Shad said as he walked in, interrupting the story. He gave Link a disapproving glare, seeing how he was positioned in the bed. “You must be in pain. You’re agitating your injuries.”

Zelda glanced at Link. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, but the number of bandages that covered him acted as one. It gave her a better idea of where on his body to avoid to keep from hurting him too badly. She tried to sit forward and scoot to the side, but Link’s arms locked her in place, silently reassuring her that he was fine. He’d moved her over earlier when she had literally been crushing him, so she settled back again, knowing that he’d let her know if she was actually hurting him. She still hadn’t been told the cause of his injuries, though. She knew she’d get it from him eventually, and if he wasn’t in a hurry to share, she wasn’t going to pry.

Shad then turned to Zelda. “And you, Princess, how are you doing this morning? Better than last night?”

“Better,” she agreed, but her body betrayed her. She was sweating with a fever, hoarse, in pain, unable to move for much more than a wiggle. But she twisted to show Shad that she was okay, though it was a failed gesture. Her back shot out, arching as a harsh stabbing sensation hit her as if she’d dug the knife in again and again. But despite the burn it caused in her, she felt herself shivering and cold.

Link’s arms tightened, stopping her body from shooting too far away from him, which would cause her more pain. She’d done it earlier before he’d taken up his new spot. She’d practically contorted backwards as the sharp sensations threatened to knock her out. Her cries could be heard throughout the entire building. Since then, Link had done his best to prevent her from such a sharp movement again.

“May I check the infection, Princess? You don’t even need to move.”

She nodded and leaned back further into Link. His eyes bugged out in pain as she brushed up against his ribs, but he bit back any noise that would have alerted her to it, knowing she’d move again in a moment and it wouldn’t last long.

Shad went to lift Zelda’s shirt, but stopped and glanced at Link. “Should you be…”

But it was Zelda who scoffed. “Oh please, he’s seen _far_ more of me that that.”

Shad’s eyebrows shot up, and Link bit his fist, fighting back a harsh laugh that washed away any shred of pain he’d been feeling.

When she noticed Shad’s expression, she almost looked confused. “What? Finn said everyone knows.”

Link was practically beaming as he leaned into her, blocking his amusement in her shoulder blade, wishing he could see more of her expression. “Everyone knows you _kissed_ me before the battle, Princess. They _suspect_ it wasn’t the first time since I haven’t really left your side in over a week. They definitely do _not_ know any details of anything. Now Shad knows though.”

Her eyes bugged out and she covered her mouth with her bandaged hand, her eyes frantically flickering between Link and Shad, filled with embarrassment. “Oh gods, I thought… I’m so sorry. That was crass anyway, but it just… oh, by the Goddess…”

Link was chuckling uncontrollably, feeling her leg bounce into his, silently chastising him.

But Shad simply cleared his throat and blinked several times. “Well, I’m a physician and… between two consenting adults that’s… um, healthy.” He cleared his throat again. “I had an inkling of your feelings for one another, but I’ve been making Link leave the room to preserve your… modesty around him. Apparently, that was… unnecessary.”

“Wow,” Link muttered into Zelda’s ear before he gently lowered her down against the mattress to give Shad some room. “You’re not even awake for twelve hours and look what you’ve done.” She used his leg as a pillow and covered her face with her hand, only peaking out to glare at Link.

Finn turned around to lie facing the wall to offer her privacy from his eyes anyway. Shad quickly lifted her shirt to expose the bandage covering her stab wound, but pulled the shirt up higher to reveal the other incisions he and Owl had to make to repair her wound and drain the excess blood that had seeped out of her into her body. He gently peeled the top one off. It was the better of the two, and it showed. It actually appeared to be healing nicely, though there was some tender red skin around the incision. Shad had taken the stitches out already, but the evidence of their presence was still there. He applied a topical poultice before covering it with a fresh bandage. Taking a breath, he gave them both a cautionary look before peeling off the bandage where her stab wound had been.

Even Link made a face as he looked at it for the first time since they’d been lying on the floor in the castle. The skin was raw and it was not healing well. The small knife wound had become a massive incision where Shad needed to extend the wound so he could get inside to stitch her back up. He hadn’t had the tools to do it delicately, and the infection was evident. There was white discharge from the wound, and some of the skin had become discolored.

“Great,” she muttered, looking away as she suddenly felt lightheaded. Not only was she in pain and suffering from infection, healing from a stab wound, and letting her broken wrist heal, she was also hungry yet nauseous at the same time.

Link ran a hand through her hair when she turned away, and Shad proceeded to clean the wound, which caused her more pain.

“Has anyone told you what Link did for you?” he asked, distracting her.

Link groaned and shook his head. “I didn’t do anything. Really.”

But Shad continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “He killed Ganondorf, saved your life with a determination I’ve never seen from anyone before, and has rarely left your bedside. When he has, it’s because the people have been asking him to make some big decisions while you’ve been unable to.”

She tilted her head back to see him, but he shook his head. “Shad saved you. I had help killing Ganondorf. And people keep thinking I’m something I’m not. I’m not a Commander, and I shouldn’t be making _any_ decisions. I’m a field soldier who got injured. That’s all.”

Zelda turned expectantly to Shad, who didn’t disappoint in lavishing unfamiliar amounts of praise at Link. “Princess, when they found Ganondorf’s body, he’d been pinned by a sword dug so deep into him that it had lodged straight into the wall. There were several wounds that could have been the fatal one, though Link won’t tell us which it was. Then, he went back to you. I’m ashamed to admit that I was going to give up when I saw how much blood you’d lost, but he convinced me to take a risk. He remembered you saying there was a fairy somewhere in the castle, efficiently deduced where it might be, and then proceeded to donate an unsafe amount of his blood to you while I began the operation and until we found a child fairy, and I was able to get supplies and a replacement for Link. I don’t know how he managed, what with all his injuries, especially his face.”

“Tell me what happened to you,” she demanded, knowing that Shad would be able to provide details if Link wouldn’t.

“Want me to start at the top? Or would you rather I save the stories for the next time you want a close look at all my scars, Princess?”

Shad made a surprised face, unsuccessfully trying to remain impassive as he kept working.

But Zelda simply blushed, undeterred. “You can’t embarrass me out of an answer. I’ve already made a fool of myself with poor Shad today. Tell me. That’s a royal command.”

Link started to protest, but when he saw everyone’s unblinking stares at him, he groaned and carefully moved Zelda off his leg before standing. “Fine, but just my eye. The rest are not interesting stories.”

She begrudgingly nodded.

The first thing Shad did was carefully peel back the bandage that ran along Link’s face.

Zelda gasped when she saw the extent of the wound. The bandage had left his eye free so he could see, but it covered the rest above and below his eye. So, when Shad took it off, she hadn’t truly realized how large and painful it looked.

“Bloody Fires of Din,” she muttered, remaining stoic despite his humored chuckle. “What happened? Ganondorf?”

Link snorted. “I wish.” He felt the raised skin of the horizontal scar. “Arrow.” And then he gestured to the larger one. “Sword.”

“But what _happened_?”

He made a general motion to his bandaged body. “Fell off a balcony and couldn’t get up in time. My soldiers saved me from being killed from this.”

“A balcony?” she whispered, sitting up with too much force and whimpering as her entire abdomen began to burn.

Shad helped her down and grabbed something off his tray. A potion. He helped guide it to her mouth.

“I had a rough day,” Link admitted, his eyes falling to her stab wound. “You too.”

“No, Link, I _saw_ someone get pushed against a railing and it broke, sending both of them down. Was that you?”

Link cleared his throat and nodded. “I think you and I might have to do some catching up. I’ve heard a few rumors about your day, too. Like standing in front of bomb arrows.”

“Ashei is dead.”

Link nodded, gesturing behind him. “Finn and I were there.”

Zelda could feel the potion’s effects hitting her hard, closing her eyes for her. “A-Auru is dead.”

“Word is he died a hero,” Link said, grabbing her hand again until her eyes closed.

“He didn’t. He tried to kill me. Bardo saved me. Did he make it? Daltus and I changed the story to protect him.”

Link squeezed her hand. “Yeah, he made it. Apparently, we _really_ need to talk about everything that happened.”

“Link!” came a new voice from the hallway as Ellie skidded to a halt in the doorframe, beaming as she saw Zelda awake for the first time. “Princess! Are you okay?”

Zelda’s brain was quickly turning off, and she managed a tired nod. “I am, Ellie.”

Ellie turned to Link with some urgency. “Uh, people are here to talk to you about a few problems. But if the Princess is here… I don’t know… do you still do things?”

“He does,” Zelda muttered as her eyes closed for a long time before opening them again.

“I’ll be right there. They in my room?” Ellie nodded, and Link bent down beside Zelda, hissing in pain as he did.

She turned toward him, and he pressed his lips lightly to hers, running his hand through her hair as he did. It was far too long for a kiss under prying eyes, even a chaste one, but when Link pulled away and felt her breath on him, he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, relief washing over him again and again with every one of her breaths.

Finally, when he acutely felt everyone’s presence, he gave her a final kiss to the forehead, her eyes already closed, and painfully stood up, reluctantly relying on Ellie to help him back to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting to the end!! According to my notes, this fic will either end on chapter 60 or 61 (which is why I'm not going to put the total up yet because I'm not sure which). We're in the wrap-up stages of the plot now! We still have to figure out if Link ever gets his cat! I literally had to stop writing this chapter to split it up because I was going on and on because I just couldn't stop, since I know it's almost done!!


	57. Chapter 57

Zelda leaned her head back, eager to feel the warmth from the sun on her face. She was holding on to Ellie, still struggling to fight the infection and regain some strength in her unused legs.

After two days, she’d _barely_ found herself awake as she was dosed with a seemingly endless supply of potions as Shad and Owl did everything in their combined power to ensure she wouldn’t succumb to the infection. Everything else would be manageable if only that would go away. Her hand was forgotten, her wound itself was ignored. Every single potion was dedicated to staving off a septic death.

So when she’d finally had the energy, Shad gave her permission for a trip outside.

It had become a sort of field trip. She was out with Ellie, Maryse was with Finn—who had just broken the fever of his own infection—and Link was with Shad.

Link and Shad were talking to a few soldiers, though it didn’t escape Zelda’s notice that Link’s body had somehow managed to angle towards her, checking on her occasionally.

If the circumstances were different, she might have chastised him, asking for some space from his constant watchfulness, but she welcomed it. It was endearing. Besides, when she was alert, she found herself doing the same thing with him.

Shad had told her the _full_ story, including the parts that Link left out when they’d gotten around to discussing the battle itself. He told her about Link’s visits to her, and his quiet stories that he’d tell her when no one was around. Shad knew it wasn’t his business, but as the injured stopped becoming so life-threateningly fatal, the first waves of his own grief had begun to settle in over the loss of his brother, Viscen. He’d asked to know how he’d died, and Zelda had told him. His biggest consolation was that Viscen’s message had gotten out of the castle and saved Damel.

“Your eyes hurt yet from staring at Link so long, Princess?” Finn laughed out. He’d taken the loss of his leg hard, but around her, he only saw the woman who’d saved his life at the risk of losing the kingdom and her own life. But another part of him saw her as the girl in love with his best friend, and he couldn’t help the teasing he inflicted on both of them. It helped distract him from far more upsetting thoughts, like how he’d never be able to fight again.

But when Zelda went to respond to him, she was beat to it by Ellie.

“Half the camp here thinks you two secretly got married. Either you did and I’m feeling left out, or you just should.”

“Ellie!” Maryse hissed.

Zelda rolled her eyes. “Goddess, you’re all so nosey.”

Ellie shrugged in agreement, freely admitting it. “Whenever he talks, you somehow come up in conversation. I asked him about when he was a kid, and you were _still_ brought up. I swear, Princess, your name is his favorite word.”

“Ellie, stop!” her mother tried again.

Zelda just smiled, giddy with the kind of unrestrained joy that a young girl in love would have, not a future queen. But for now, in the little bubble they were all in, separated from the rest of the world, she was determined to enjoy every moment of it.

What she really wanted was a moment alone with Link. Except for a few passing minutes— _literal_ minutes—she hadn’t been alone with him since she first opened her eyes.

Her ears perked at a word that she’d heard far more often nowadays than she ever expected.

“Commander!”

She watched Link roll his eyes as he turned around to answer the soldier approaching him. Zelda crossed her arms, amused and _proud_ as she observed him handling yet another situation in the encampment with surprisingly natural expertise, as he had been doing at some point every day since she’d woken up.

“Are you going to do it?” Finn asked, seeing her expression.

She nodded, knowing exactly what he was referring to. She and Finn had been listening to the soldiers around the camp, especially the ones who shared the recovery floor they were on. And though there were stories flying around about people’s experiences on the battlefield, no name came up more often than Link’s, like he was some kind of legendary hero.

“ _Did you hear that he killed Ganondorf and nailed him to a wall with his sword?”_

_“That soldier single-handedly kept a dinofols off our division while we got the gate open.”_

_“I was with him inside the castle. We cleared floors of our foes under his command.”_

_“I heard his scar was from a fight to the death after he fell off the balcony.”_

_“Is he_ just _a soldier?”_

There were a few high-ranking Commanders in the camp, injured themselves. Even some of them were talking. _“He trained with Ashei, so he must be good.” “I knew him when we were at Hyrule’s Western Garrison.”_

“Do what?” Ellie asked, practically bounding for a new piece of news.

“You’ll find out,” Zelda laughed patiently.

And after a while, when she saw the other Commanders arrive and nod to her, she broke away from Ellie, clutching her waist as she tried the few steps between her and Link without any help.

“Hey,” she said, practically crashing into him as one of her still-weak legs gave out. He caught her, but they both leaned against the other, groaning in pain. But it quickly turned into laughter, realizing that together, they were an absolute mess.

“Hey,” he returned, helping her to steady herself before clutching his own ribs.

“I’ve been told the many things you did on the battlefield that you _didn’t_ tell me, thank you for leaving out your heroics, Link.”

He shrugged at her tone, but his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Tell me honestly,” she said, grabbing his arm, “Now that this is over, you’re willing to stay with me? You don’t want to go back to the Western Garrison?”

“You’re crazy,” he scoffed. “If you’ll have me, I’ll stay with you until I die.”

“Just double checking before I do something you might not like.”

He cut her a sharp look as the two Commanders stood on either side of her.

“Can you bend down?” she asked.

He rolled his eyes, finally with an inkling of what she was doing. “Yes, but you don’t have to do this. I just did my job.”

“On your knees then, Link,” she said with her clear royal demeanor overshadowing any room for argument.

He bit his lip and took a small step towards her. “Yes ma’am.”

She hid her laugh behind a smirk when she saw him wink at her. She could feel the Commanders’ eyes on her, mildly horrified by their exchange, if only because they had never witnessed the truth behind the rumors of their romance. With the backing of the other Commanders though, no soldier thought she was favoring Link. In truth, this hadn’t even been _her_ idea. It had been one of the Commanders.

One of them handed her their sword. She tapped it down on Link’s shoulder when he’d settled comfortably on one knee. He was looking down in a traditional bow, but she couldn’t help herself when she tapped the sword under his chin, urging his eyes up to hers before returning it to its place on his shoulder. “Link Forrester, you have demonstrated exemplary service to your kingdom and to your…” she hesitated, stumbling over the _technically_ incorrect use of the word ‘queen,’ “…your Princess.”

He smirked at her, though the glint in his eyes was decidedly _un_ formal, and she almost regretted having him look at her. But if she was being honest, she wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“From protecting me on our travels, to your defeat of Ganondorf, you have performed feats becoming a Knight of Hyrule. Do you accept this honor?”

He sucked in a breath, her expression scaring him out of any stereotypical comment he might make and settling for a simple: “I do.”

“Do you know the Knight’s Oath, Link?”

He hummed an affirmative—every soldier knew the oath that most of them strove for—and she nodded to him, encouraging him to say it.

“I, Link Forrester, will be true and faithful to live and die in unbounded and generous fealty to Her Royal Highness, Zelda Aravis Thaisa Hyrule, _Queen_ of Hyrule and all its Territories. I will serve Hyrule at her command until death takes me.”

They shared a look between them at his generous change to her title, but he just stared at her, daring her to say something about not being the crowned queen. Or about him using every one of her names.

“I accept your service, _Sir_ Link. And I have one more promotion for you, if you’re willing. When we return to Hyrule Castle and restore normalcy to the realm, the Hyrule Castle Garrison will be running again. I have been informed that there is no Commander there. Would you accept the position?”

He scoffed and nodded, biting back an amused grin. He knew that one had a very specific bonus behind it. Namely, a permanent home on the castle grounds. “Yes.”

“Good. Then rise: Sir Link, Commander of Hyrule Castle Garrison.”

The two commanders helped him up, and she returned the sword, ducking under Link’s good arm to help him back toward Shad.

“I like you on your knees, Sir Link,” she whispered to him with a stifled laugh.

He snorted and glanced at her with a silent spark in his eyes, quickly raising his eyebrows suggestively.

She leaned into him and tried to slow her excited heart before they reached Shad. “So, how does it feel to have a mouthful of titles?”

“Well, they got me a permanent spot in the castle with you, so I can’t say I’m not excited.”

“I’m sorry that it’s all I could do.”

“It’s more than I ever expected. Thank you, Zelda.”

“Link,” she muttered, pulling him to a stop with her. “Can we talk? Alone.”

“Of course.”

They managed to get help back upstairs to the empty room, and Zelda closed the door, waiting for the footsteps to recede before turning back to Link. He was already resting on her bed, holding his ribs as he settled into place.

“I just,” she started, gently dropping beside him, “I just wanted you to know… you’re the most important person in my life and that will never change... unless we get that cat.” He chuckled, but knew she wasn’t done. “Link, I don’t know if society will _ever_ allow you to be a king or my husband, and I’m sorry I can’t offer you any promises or a solid plan, but you are my family and I love you. I’m in love with you. If I wasn’t… me…”

“We grew up very differently, Zelda,” he said, stopping her before she could go off about being someone else. But he didn’t _want_ her to be someone else. “My relatives haven’t been my family in a very long time, so maybe that’s why it’s easier for me to accept that there will likely never be some paper we sign or some ceremony we hold that says how much you mean to me. My family is the people I love and would die for. You, Finn, _that’s_ family to me. I don’t seduce you so I can be king.”

“Seduce me?” she giggled.

“Oh, absolutely. You know I do. And you love it.”

“Right,” she scoffed, trying to maintain some plausible deniability. But when she looked at his expression, she broke out laughing.

He joined in, pulling her towards him by the elbows, still careful of her broken wrist. When she was close enough, he brought his lips to her neck, pressing small kisses into her, matching the beat of her pulse before it sped up too quickly to follow.

“You don’t know how much I missed that,” he said between kisses. His hands were lightly against her waist, but there was no way he could put any pressure on her, knowing just how sensitive her skin was from the infection.

“Missed what?” she asked, scooting slightly away from his chest when she realized she was nearly touching three of his fresh wounds.

“Your laugh,” he whispered, smiling into her skin as he brought his lips down for a few more teasing kisses. “It’s probably my favorite sound.”

“Are you doing this on purpose?” she asked, though she was starting to feel her mind cloud as she focused on the new path his lips were taking to the hollow of her throat.

“Mhmm,” he nodded, daring to let his hands trail down her back where he knew there was no wound.

But she arched into him for a reason entirely unrelated to pain, despite that becoming the result.

Link buried his face into the side of her neck to stifle his hiss of pain as when she’d bent into his ribs, her legs knocking hard into the stab wound on his thigh. He straightened, thus bringing more pain to his back. And she’d felt the stabbing sensation all across her waist where the infection burned.

“Oh, Zelda, get off my leg please,” he groaned, rubbing it when she moved off to the side.

She pressed a quick, apologetic kiss to his lips. “Sorry. We might need to rain check on anything… physical.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, much to both their disappointment. But they both found themselves laughing at the whole situation. The absurdity of it all.

Taking advantage of their time alone, Link scooted down into her bed to get comfortable and Zelda joined, talking for hours until they’d fallen asleep with their hands clasped.

And they were both so tired after that neither woke to the sounds of Maryse helping Finn into the room before immediately dragging him away towards Link’s room to give them some privacy for the night.

* * *

Link sat cross-legged on Zelda’s bed. She hung over his shoulder as he read the most recent of Daltus’ letters. They were al addressed to Link, as Zelda’s awakening was unbeknownst to him. Seres sat on Finn’s bed, talking quietly to him while Link and Zelda poured through document after document that Seres had brought.

It had taken quite a while for everyone to settle down once they saw Seres arrive earlier that morning. She hadn’t heard that Zelda had woken up, so her excitement was uncontainable. And Zelda hadn’t heard too much about Damel except that it hadn’t been destroyed. They talked for hours, to the point where Owl came in for two different examinations of Zelda’s wounds.

Zelda told Seres of Viscen’s death, which Link had told her in a letter, but was much harder to hear in person. Finn had explained how he’d lost his leg. Link told her about his Knighting ceremony and jokingly reminded her that she could officially call him Sir Link now.

Seres told the story of the Zora’s rescue, and their assistance in driving Ganondorf’s forces from Damel. She told them about her days running the city as more refugees flooded inside. She’d been surprised to admit that she was actually much better at managing everything than she thought she’d be. It had been difficult and tiring, but also fulfilling in many ways.

She also told them about Daltus’ return to Damel, and how he’d arrived with a vengeance. It was as if the battle itself had sparked a new life inside him. And his first act had been to deal with the traitor, Niko, who had sent Ganondorf and Auru enough information that the battle had become deadly for far too many.

Link held the letter explaining that one, angling it so Zelda could get a good look at the words.

_“Link, I am truly displeased to hear of the continued state of my cousin. I shall remain here in Damel until there is any change. Write to me if her condition alters in any way, and I will ride back down. As for your question about Ganondorf, I would personally like to see his body dismembered and thrown into a river, but I feel that his evil would pollute the water rather unfairly for the Zoras. In all truth, a quiet pyre would likely be the safest option. What you equate to a warrior’s funeral is also the easiest way of disposing of his body without erecting a memorial to any remaining followers. That would be my suggestion to you. I do not know if my cousin had other plans, however._

_“Since arriving here, I have also decided to take matters into my own hands, given that Zelda is still unawakened. Should she wake up, please show her this letter. I invited several noble refugees, and our Zora guests to attend the execution of the traitor, Niko. I know that Zelda was going to hold it in a more public forum, but I have arranged the bare minimum of respectful necessities. I let him choose the weapon of his death. He chose a sword. I paid for the best executioner. I held a mourning period of two days. There was a noble audience. I just could not leave him alive. There were too many risks. Ganondorf’s people could still be around and set him free. I might find myself in a moment of weakness and release him. I mitigated those risks in her name. As I am writing this, Niko is dead and no longer a threat to either of our kingdoms, much as King Auru is no longer a problem. I have written a separate document of the account of the battle until I left, and I have entrusted it to Zelda’s maid to deliver to you. It is sensitive, and I recommend opening it in private, but it is necessary that you know what happened if you are to know who to guard her from.”_

Zelda held the account in her hand, reading Daltus’ view of how Auru and his troops tried to kill her when she’d been distracted, and his belief that her death would lead to him being taken captive as a weaker hostage than Zelda to sign away Hyrule. He explained what they did to ensure the safety of Zelda’s soldiers and to avoid the wrath of Auru’s successor.

_“Again, if there is any change in my cousin’s health, please let me know. I have also sent details of the Zora’s aid to Damel. I have sent a letter of appreciation, but I believe—with Zelda unable and being her personal guard—a letter from you thanking them for their protection of her people might be in order. Keep it brief, as you are not the one they actually want to hear from. Just acknowledge their assistance. I pray to the Goddess for Hyrule’s people. -Prince Daltus_

“Did you ever send him word that I am awake?” Zelda asked without looking up, switching to a different document.

Link nodded. “I did. I never sent one to the Zoras because you woke up the night I got Seres’ letter, but I did send one to Daltus the next day while you were asleep.”

Zelda sighed and looked at Seres. “Did you see Niko’s execution?”

Seres shook her head. “I did not. But I saw the before and the aftermath. Master Niko was begging for his life, trying to appeal to Prince Daltus in a rather undignified way. The Prince wore an expression of steel and was outwardly unaffected. When he returned, it was much the same, but he retreated to his room for the remainder of the day.”

“I can’t believe he did it himself,” Zelda whispered, feeling an incredible sorrow for her cousin. She’d had to witness one execution with her family, and it had been brutal. There would have been a personal address from Daltus to Niko, and his hand would have commanded the swing that took Niko’s life.

Link put down the letter and ran a hand through his hair. For the first time since the battle, he’d managed to get a loose shirt over his head that morning, and he fiddled with a loose thread on the hemline before looking over at Zelda.

“Looks like we have a few more burials to take care of.” But when he looked at Zelda, she was looking at him strangely. “What?”

“’We.’”

He snorted, standing with more ease than he’d been able to manage in the past. “Where do _we_ start, Zelda?”

She looked around at the faces that surrounded her, at the people she was happy to call her family.

“Let’s take care of Ganondorf. It’s time to move forward.”


	58. Chapter 58

Zelda knelt in the grass, running her hand along the dirt again and again until it stopped feeling like anything; it just became a numb sensation across her palm. Despite how much she’d healed in the past week, her other wrist was still bandaged. She held three flowers, each different, but ones that she thought were equally beautiful. The petals were soft as she ran her thumb along one.

The sun was beating down on her, demanding that she finally stand up, but it was more difficult than she thought. Her eyes were glued to the massive stone, elaborately decorated, carved, clean.

_Here Lies the Royal Family of Hyrule Who Died in Service to their Kingdom_

_King Nohansen Daphnes Harkinian Hyrule_

_Queen Llyan Oren Hyrule_

_Princess Aelia Neri Ciela Hyrule_

_May You Find Peace with the Goddess_

It took a long time for her to move her eyes off the words and down to the flowers that had been planted all around the stone. The dark, freshly dug dirt was still soft, but the flowers hadn’t been too disturbed. Zelda had picked a lush spot where the flowers had bloomed on their own, and her family could rest on a hill where there was a clear view of both the sunset and sunrise. It was a hill with the Goddess’s blessing smiling down on it all day and night.

It took until orange cast a glow across the sky for her to finally stand from her first visit to the grave. Her face was streaked with tears. But they weren’t all sad. She was relieved that it was over, that they were finally able to rest.

She brushed off her knees and headed down the hill, moving much better than she had the week prior. She’d been thankful for Shad and Owl’s attentions, especially on the day they told her that her fever had broken. Her feet carried her a little too quickly down the hill, and she bounded a few extra steps toward the waiting carriage.

“You okay?” Link asked from where he’d been waiting to give her some privacy. She rested against the side of the small cart beside him while the coachman settled a few things into place.

“I will be,” Zelda said, leaning into him. “Going back home for the first time probably won’t be pretty.”

He helped her into the carriage and climbed in behind her, both healing, but still unable to bear the rock and bounce of a horse for long journeys.

The journey to Hyrule Castle wasn’t actually long, but the time spent in the carriage between the grave and the castle seemed to drag on _forever_.

Since the battle, there were already people living in the castle, preparing it and cleaning up after Ganondorf had lived inside. There had been a lot of blood. It extended into Castle Town, which had been nearly abandoned and ransacked. In the few weeks since the battle, people had begun to reclaim their homes, and settle on new ones.

Nobles began to return from where they’d hidden and sought refuge, and Zelda had been more than a little surprised for familiar names to be written in her letters. They were people who’d held land or power before, some people who’d lived in the castle but had been away, some who’d even been on her father’s council.

While they hadn’t been terribly useful during the battle when she needed them most, she’d invited them to return to their original positions or homes. Normalcy needed to happen quickly, and she needed the nobles with experience to help her learn how to lead an entire kingdom. She couldn’t rely on instinct for every single decision.

Daltus was already at the castle, staying in Hyrule until her coronation before he’d be returning home. He’d return to Damel once she was settled—since the town was still a large hub with too many people and no set leadership yet—then he’d ride back to the castle for the coronation.

So, when Link and Zelda stood in the courtyard, staring at the massive structure in peace—unlike the chaotic mess that had prevented them from properly looking at it before—Zelda struggled to take another step. Her mind was flooded with memories of a different time. Her sister running out the door to greet her, her parents waving from their balcony a few floors up. The sight of their bodies in cages outside the door…

It was a while before she got her legs to move, going inside with a heartache that she had been preparing for. She’d warned Link several times that this first week was going to be difficult for her, seeing the rooms where her parents slept or lived in. She’d prepared him for the inevitable waterworks she’d have and that she just needed some time to feel their loss for the first time. She’d never been able to safely grieve, always on the run or preparing for a battle.

The entryway was lit by the wide windows, sending streaks of light on the ground and bouncing off the light floor and walls. Link noted that there was something different about it than the last time he’d gone through the entry. The darkness that loomed over everything was gone.

Zelda’s legs carried her to a doorway, and she peered inside to see some servants cleaning and stoking a fire. Zelda glided through the room, smiling at everyone as she took in the sitting room and the fireplace and the piano in the corner that her mother used to play with her, and the doorway into a small study with books neatly stacked away

She’d found as much of the reserve rupees as she could to employ as many refugees who’d lost their homes as she possibly could until they could get back on their feet. And, as promised, she’d set aside some rupees for Maryse and Oton to rebuild their farm.

Ellie, on the other hand, had spent the past week begging to be allowed to return to the castle with Zelda rather than home to a farm with her mother. At first, Zelda had adamantly declined, but as Ellie’s persistence began to wear her down, she’d agreed to consider it as long as they all had a very long conversation with Maryse.

So, it wasn’t a surprise to see Seres walking through a hallway in the distance, pushing Ellie along as she tried to instruct her on how to do something.

Curious, Zelda followed, Link still behind her, though she peeked into several rooms as they went along. There were many that were still unfinished, but it was enough to live in.

She went into a room and saw Seres bent down with an open drawer, but what caught her eyes was Ellie standing on the edge of an arm of a couch as she reached for the top shelf of something.

Zelda took a hasty step forward to steady Ellie, but Link moved Zelda to the side and easily caught Ellie long before she even knew she was falling off the couch. He set her down, relieved that the burn in his ribs was minimal, all things considered, and handed her the jar she’d been reaching for.

“Ellie,” Zelda choked. “We’re responsible for you now. I promised your mother to take care of you. You can’t do that to me on your first day here.”

“I didn’t know I was going to slip!” she countered as she handed a jar of old, dried out plants to Zelda. “But look! I found them! I knew I saw them yesterday!”

“What is that?” Link balked, looking at the jar. It was a hideous concoction of greens and browns that looked moldy or rotted.

“So, Princess Zelda is going to teach me how to make an emergency poultice and she said that I would need to find some herbs, and when I saw them yesterday, I figured that they were perfect!”

“Ellie,” Zelda laughed. “First off, you need _fresh_ herbs for the one I was talking about, and these need to be thrown away. Second, not today. It’s my first day back here and I need… I need to take it all in. Ask me tomorrow.”

Unable to suppress the urge to throw her head back in disappointment, Ellie nodded. “Fine. But did you at least see the potion room?”

“The what?”

Ellie waved them on, and Seres offered Zelda a bemused but sympathetic look.

Zelda grabbed Link and pulled him beside her. “Did we accidently adopt a fourteen-year-old girl when we agreed to let her live here?”

“We absolutely did,” he nodded. “All I asked for was a cat.”

They followed her to a room that had Zelda absolutely floored because it did not exist before. There were ingredients lining shelves that were specifically chosen for their potion-making qualities. There was a desk with any item she could think of, including empty jars, bottles, berries, bowls, herbs. There were several books along the back of the desk, each with an introductory title.

“A gift from Shad,” Ellie said, gesturing around. “He said you need to practice so he can see how much better you’ve gotten when he comes back to check on you two.”

“This is incredible,” she breathed, running her hands along the furniture.

But before she had a moment to savor the space, Ellie had her hand and was dragging her out of the room, leading her on a mad adventure from room to room, explaining who suggested what. There was a small garden with hedges and a small swing attached to a tree, there was a huge library, restocked with books that had been saved from abandoned homes. Someone had even redesigned the entrance to the library so there was a door leading outside to allow access to the public.

There was a long hallway that Ellie was about to pass, but this time, Zelda stopped her and they took the corner. They eventually headed down a dark stairwell, knowing exactly where it would take them. As if the cold and damp sticky sensation on the walls and in the air wasn’t enough of an indicator, the dried blood and long corridor of cells was clear. No one had cleaned down here yet, so it still smelled of iron and death.

Zelda ran her hand along several bars before stopping at an open door, the cell looking unused since their time inside. Link peeked inside and saw the holes he’d hidden the keys in, the bucket still filled with water. Clearly, Ganondorf considered this cell either ineffective, or cursed.

“You were in here?” Ellie asked, surprisingly humbled in her expression.

Link leaned casually on the bars. “Yep. Here’s where we met. Very romantic.”

Zelda looked around. While the dungeons hadn’t been cleaned, the prisoners had all been freed after the battle. “I wonder where Finn was that whole time?”

“Can’t just bring here and ask him yet. He’ll need some help if he wants to come down.”

“I don’t want to see my other cell, to be honest,” Zelda admitted, remembering the claustrophobic hole that Ganondorf had trapped her in. “Let’s go back upstairs.”

In the light of the floor above ground, everything felt a little easier to handle. Ellie began to fill the silence again, and they went into a few more rooms.

But Zelda managed to free herself from Ellie when they’d gotten to the bedrooms, promising to find her later—because Ellie wanted to show her the room she’d picked out for herself just beside the one Seres had.

Zelda had asked Link for some privacy as well, and he left her to go explore the garrison and to check on Finn, who’d been moved into the Commander’s room in the barracks. Zelda had already assured Link that he wouldn’t be sleeping in there, so Link had given it to Finn. Zelda told him to find her later, and he headed outside.

Without any company, Zelda took the hallway very slowly, her hand trailing along the familiar walls. She passed over her own room, knowing that there were two others she had to see first. At the very end of the hall, she opened one of the double doors and stepped into her parent’s room.

It was the size of a several rooms combined into one, with archways leading one open space into another, and it was extremely clean, but a sick feeling washed over her. She _knew_ that this was the room Ganondorf had used. Old portraits that had once been on the walls were gone, and objects like end tables weren’t where her parents had left them. While it was clean, the room was _dirty_ from his intrusion into it. She couldn’t bring herself to cross into the threshold of the room, backing away with far more haste than she’d intended.

So, when she stood with her hand against the knob to Aelia’s room, she had to take a few steadying breaths, a little more prepared for the rush she’d feel.

The room was much more familiar, not a fake cleanliness like her parents’ room had. It was literally just untouched. She managed to get into the room, picking up a worn-out stuffed animal that Aelia had always slept with. As she got older, she opted to keep it on her nightstand, but there had been a time when she’d never seen her sister without it. She pulled the creature into a hug as she made her way to the desk in the corner.

Aelia wasn’t nearly as interested in scholarly work, potions, research, or medicine as Zelda had been, but her sister had loved to write, and there were private journals all along a protected shelf above her desk. But one was sitting _on_ the desk, never put away.

Zelda sat in the chair and opened it to the first page, needing to cover her mouth when she saw the too-familiar handwriting.

“ _I hate today. It’s too hot to go outside, and too hot to stay inside. Zelda offered to take me to the springs again, but it’s a stupid idea. It’s HOT. Why would I want to go to a hot spring? Sometimes she makes me wonder. I’m just going to write in this new book until I melt. You won’t miss me since it’s only page one. Bye forever you stupid book.”_

Zelda chuckled and looked at the next page.

“ _I’m sorry; I was having heat stroke, I think. It’s so much cooler today that I can breathe without being choked on hot air. Sellie and Ashe are coming down for a visit. Their parents are doing something important, I guess, but I lucked out!”_

Zelda closed the book as her tears fell, careful to avoid splattering onto the ink. She opened it again, turning further into the more worn middle of the book.

_“Zelda took me to see the soldiers again. I’m friends with a few of them, which I didn’t expect. I think she still feels guilty. I feel guilty too. I shouldn’t have yelled at her. She was trying to help. I don’t regret telling her how lonely I was though. She convinced mom to send for Sellie again. It’s been a long time since she came over.”_

She flipped a few pages again.

_“This war is stupid. They’re making Zelda get married, then they’re going to do it to me. I should have run away when I had the chance, but he’s gone now. Even Zelda is leaving to start her training with some Kapeoraragabraoaadja. I don’t know how to spell his name. He’s a physician. I’m still debating letting her know just how much I’ll miss her.”_

Zelda needed a moment to breathe. Aelia _had_ told her just before she’d left. She turned to the last two entries, which had different dates but were written together.

_“I heard them say that someone’s coming. They won’t tell me anything. All I know is that Zelda is on her way home. It must be something bad if she’s leaving Hyrule Field. I just wish they’d tell me._

_“Zelda came back last night. She told me a little bit about what’s going on. I’m not going to lie to a stupid book, I’m scared. It sounds like we’re going to be safe inside, but with the way everyone’s acting, it’s like they think the castle can be broken into. They found me some armor that I have to wear all day. Marnie is coming to help me when she finishes with Zelda. I’m just waiting now. And Zelda sent one of her old crowns ahead because mine is locked away. I don’t understand because no one will tell me what’s happening. But the fighting is so close I can see it outside my window. And it lo—”_

The word cut off with a scribble, too distracted by something to finish her thought. Zelda pushed the book aside and cupped her mouth as her body shook with tears falling again. That had been the day Ganondorf showed up. She’d tried to keep Aelia safe, but by not telling her what was going on, Zelda had made her sister’s last day a living nightmare from start to finish.

Somehow, she managed to stand, grabbing hold of the stuffed creature before it fell off her lap, and she collapsed onto Aelia’s bed. It still smelled like the perfumes her sister liked so much.

Alone and overwhelmed, Zelda let out a heartbroken sob, one hand clutching the animal and the other the comforter.

She wondered if there would ever be a day when she’d stop feeling guilty. Guilty for being alive. Guilty for _living_ after she’d stabbed herself. She wondered if the pain of loss would ever hurt any less, because as it was, she felt like she was impaled on a bed of knives rather than a soft mattress.

It wasn’t until she felt the mattress dip and a hand rest on her waist that she looked up, shocked to see just how long she’d actually been in the room. It had to have been over an hour, judging by the shadows.

Link was beside her, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he laid behind her and wrapped his arms around her, feeling her start to shake again.

“She was so scared,” Zelda cried, rolling over so she and the stuffed creature were against Link. “And I just feel so weak because I can’t stop! I can’t even think their names without wanting to cry!”

“You’re not weak,” he murmured, running a hand through her hair. “There are nights when I wake up in an absolute panic, and I have to just watch you breathe to know you’re alive. It’s been weeks, but I still do that. Does that make me weak?”

“No.”

“See? You’re understanding of everyone’s pain but your own. Stop being hard on yourself. You grieve your own way and forget the rest of the world. No one can tell you it’s been too long and it’s time to move on. And if they do, I’ll punch them for you.”

She chuckled and swallowed hard, feeling her choked tears in her throat. Sitting up, she held the creature for another moment before setting it down. “I don’t know if I can keep these rooms here. Mine is fine, but my parents’ room and this one might need to be redecorated. I don’t know if I can function knowing that the occupants of these rooms are never coming back.”

“I’ll paint the walls myself.”

With a lingering sniffle, Zelda went to stand up, feeling her feet wobble.

Link stood beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Come on. Show me where I can find your room. I’m going to need to know where to sneak into every night.”

Zelda hurriedly pulled him from Aelia’s room and closed the door, feeling relief immediately wash over her when the door slammed shut as she allowed her mind to wander anywhere else. And thankfully, she liked where Link was leading her.

“Oh no,” she said, hurrying in front of him, walking backwards to face him as she pulled him with her. “You’re walking straight through that door. Bardo is my guard. He already knows about us and he’s surprisingly eager to give us space.”

“Bardo knows too?” Link laughed, following her with a smile as he watched her expression soften from its earlier tenseness.

“Remember the first time?”

Link hummed. “No. Remind me.”

She shot him a bemused look. “We suspected they might have figured it out, but he essentially confirmed that he and Leon could hear us. It was so awkward.”

“He did not!” Link balked. “He admitted that?”

“So,” Zelda continued, stopping in front of a door. “You can just walk in with Bardo at the door. And honestly, I don’t really care who knows. They all know we’ve kissed. They know we’re together. I’m sure they’re assuming more than that anyway.”

Link grabbed her hand and gestured to the room. “What if you have to get married?”

She froze, but found her head shaking. “I won’t. I just won’t do it.”

“Zelda…”

“Stop. Not today. We’re not talking about this today.”

He held his hands up. “Okay. That’s fine.”

“Good.”

“Can I see inside now?” Link asked, wriggling his eyebrows.

Zelda pushed the door open, following beside Link. The room was as untouched as Aelia’s, appearing almost as it had been before. Zelda went first to her closet, running her hands along her old dresses and outfits, and then went to lie down on the old, familiar mattress, welcoming the comfortable way she sank into it, the sound of silk sheets rustling as she moved.

Link, on the other hand, was awestruck. “Gods, Zelda, this room is the size of a small house.”

There was a sitting area in front of a fireplace, a small hall leading to a closet and a washroom in the back, a balcony, a massive bed, desks, shelves, notebooks. The room was clearly used and lived in.

Link laid down beside her, letting out a relaxed moan as he did. “Goddess, this is the closest I’ll ever get to being in the Sacred Realm. This is the most comfortable bed I’ve ever laid in.”

Leaning on her arm so she could look down at him, Zelda bit back a grin.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing.” She ran her hand through his hair. “I just like you. That’s all. I think you’re cute, and I have a little crush.”

“Little?”

“Yes,” she laughed, pulling him over to meet her awaiting lips.

He met hers with such vigor that they toppled over, and he just barely caught himself before he could fall down against her. While they were healing, they were not _healed_ , and him crashing onto her would have absolutely agitated both of their wounds.

“Ugh,” she muttered in annoyance as he lowered _gently_ himself back down against her, far more tender in his affections. He snorted at her reaction and felt her lift herself up on her elbows to get closer to him, despite the itch in her hand to pull him flush against her until there was _nothing_ between them.

It had become an unspoken—but obvious—fact that since Zelda’s infection had gotten better, Link was the one who was far more injured of the two of them. So, over the past week, in the times they’d tried _anything_ , Zelda’s enthusiasm had often resulted in injuring Link more. And despite his claims that he either didn’t feel anything, or that he welcomed _whatever_ Zelda did to him, she could see that he’d been swallowing down his pain.

So, she had made every attempt to restrain herself until he was better. Thankfully, he knew better how to move his body so he wouldn’t be writhing in pain, so Zelda begrudgingly gave him most of the control in these stolen moments… for now.

She felt his hand barely brush her leg when there was a loud knock on the door.

Zelda groaned “Goddess, you’re kidding me. One second!” she called out. “Later?” she asked Link with a mischievous grin as he rolled out of the bed to follow her.

“Gods, yes. That door locks, right?”

“Thankfully.”

She opened the door and Ellie burst inside, bouncing with excitement. “Is this your room? Oh gods, it’s exactly how I pictured it! Is that a mini replica of the Goddess Statue? I want this so bad! I might come in here and steal it if it’s okay with you?” But she didn’t wait for an answer and continued to talk, marveling at the room.

“We can put a chair under the door handle too,” Zelda said, watching Ellie pick up several of her things before putting them back down, making several comments to herself as she did.

“Bar the windows,” Link murmured into her ear.

“Stuff up the fireplace.”

“Do you have any hidden ways into your room we need to cover?”

Zelda chuckled as she leaned into him, grabbing his hand in hers as she did. “I _definitely_ have a crush on you, Link.”

He moved aside as Ellie plowed out of the room, gesturing for them to follow her. When she’d begun to take the stairs, Link turned back to Zelda and gave her a long kiss on the lips before pulling her with him to follow Ellie.

“Yeah, I think I like you too.”


	59. Chapter 59

Zelda shuddered in her sleep, despite the warmth that she felt all around her. After two months in the castle, it was now decidedly warm outside with summer on the brink; she was under blankets, and Link was wrapped around her. But it didn’t stop the chills as her mind raced back to the battlefield, replacing the truth with harsh lies that only nightmares could manage to do so effectively.

_The battlefield cleared to let Ganondorf through the waves of soldiers. In his hand, dragging just under his cape, was a body that he tossed just in front of him with a sickening smile and a thud that landed hard, bouncing against the dirt and gravel._

_Link’s limp body fell to the ground, lying on his back. His head lolled loosely back, and his eyes were unfocused and open… empty._

_Zelda slid from her saddle, but her legs couldn’t catch her when they hit the ground. She collapsed, holding herself up with her hands as she stared wide-mouthed at the bloody body just yards from her._

_A noise caught in her throat as her body began to shake._

_To make his point clearer, Ganondorf picked Link up by the neck, choking him with a smile before roughly tossing his body_

_There were hands holding her back. She was a symbol, after all, not a person. The Princess couldn’t afford to be seen so weak._

_But when she could finally raise her head, she was against the wall of the palace staring at the four cages that her family had been in. Her eyes darted past each until she saw one more cage on the far end. A large boot was blocking her view of who it was, and she found her legs staggering to bring her over to the body, and she nearly lost them again when she saw who it was._

_Link._

_“Get them down, now!” she screeched, hurrying over to the wall so she had something she could lean against while holding her breath._

_But as she struggled for breath, she noticed something in the grass beneath Link. Blood. Wet blood._

_Gasping, Zelda pushed herself off and stared up at Link. “Someone! Get him down first! Now! Hurry!”_

_Zelda gathered his bloodied body into her lap and wrapped her arms around him while she waited for someone to return to her. She lowered her mouth to his ear. “You don’t get to die on me, too The Goddess’s light is warm and bright, and this world is bleary and dark, but choose this world. There is still light here, and it will return soon. Please, Link!”_

_The voice that answered came from the cage behind her, her father’s lifeless corpse. “You ask him to remain here, to avoid us, to leave us. It’s what you’ve always done. You left before the battle, you left the Sacred Realm when we offered you our eternal love. Now, you’ll keep him from us too.”_

_“No,” she pleaded. “It’s not that. Come back with me! Please, father, come back!”_

_“It’s too late now. You didn’t choose us. You have chosen to leave us, your own family, behind. The greed in your heart chose a kingdom over your own family. I’m ashamed to call you my heir.”_

She woke up with a harsh twitch as tears sprang to her eyes and she pulled her feet up to her chest.

“You’re okay,” she heard beside her before she felt the rough hand on her side, rubbing comforting circles into her.

She slid back down and hovered over Link, running her hand over the harsh scar on his cheek. It had settled into its permanent state now, no longer raw and fresh or tender to the touch. She could feel the raised flesh even without seeing him.

Her hand ran down his bare chest to rest on a dip in his ribs where they still hadn’t entirely moved back into place. It was a distinct gap that always had her worried, but Link’s hand covered hers, stopping it from moving away. “What happened?”

“Same dream,” she sighed, finally feeling calm enough to settle back against Link. “Was I talking again?”

“My name. Your father. Ganondorf.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She’d woken him up several nights in a row, and she knew how tired he’d been recently, partly her fault.

“Please don’t apologize again, Zelda,” he mumbled. “It’ll be over soon.”

“I know,” she hissed. Her head turned to the gorgeous dress laid out in her dressing area. “I’m so nervous.”

“No reason for it.” Link leaned in to kiss her, but in his bleary-eyed state, he missed and hit somewhere near the top of her nose. They chuckled, and Zelda felt Link’s hand sleepily slide across her stomach to her own scar where his hand sagged limp with exhaustion.

Now that it was healed and she was in the public eye much more often, she was glad it was in a place that was easily concealable. Only Link ever managed to make her feel good about it. It was the way his hands traced every ridge, or how his mouth would tenderly close over it rather than shying away. She would do the same to his many scars, but she had a distinct feeling that he wasn’t suffering from the same crushing weight of scrutiny that she was, especially not recently. A soldier with a large face scar was a brave warrior. A princess with a scar was damaged porcelain. And on the days when she wore a shirt rather than a dress, if it rode up even slightly, the scar was exposed, and all eyes were on her because eyes were _always_ on her.

Most days she was fine with it and had become used to it. Many of the locals had begun to keep their hair pin-straight, as hers was, and she noticed a distinct rise in people wearing the same style of dresses that she used most often. But she needed to accept that tomorrow especially would be a day she’d just have to forget every eye on her.

Because when she woke up and got dressed, it would be her coronation day.

And in her dreams for over a week had been haunting images of her father, Ganondorf, Auru, and Daltus, all questioning her abilities to lead.

In her mind, people were constantly gossiping, as she’d already become rather talked about around castle town. It wasn’t just her clothes. There was good gossip as well, like her actions during the war, and her journey to get there. They were frequently told stories that she welcomed far more than other gossip, even if many of the details had begun to twist slightly out of truth.

But she wasn’t the only one being talked about. Link had become a point of gossip, as she’d warned him. He barely seemed to notice unless a soldier brought up a very specific rumor about him. Otherwise, he shrugged it off.

It was a skill she used to have, but she’d lost it when she’d acquired more power than she was used to. It was a benefit of not being _the_ face of the kingdom. Back when her parents had been alive, any gossip about her had been minimal, or it reflected on her parents rather than herself. She no longer had anyone to hide behind. She’d never empathized with her father more than she did now, and she didn’t even wear the crown yet. 

She knew she shouldn’t take much heart in their words. She regretted nothing about her and Link, and she didn’t feel like keeping a respectable distance from him _every time_ they were outside the castle. She enjoyed being out, so it happened often.

Despite his new leadership roles in the Garrison, Link maintained part-time guardship over her, especially on important days when crowds were excitable and densely packed together. Today, he wouldn’t be leaving her side until they were in the throne room.

They both drifted back into a peaceful sleep—dreamless and restful—for the brief time that they were allowed before there was a wake-up knock on their door.

It had become Seres’ foolproof way to make sure they were up without barging in. She knocked _loudly_ and waited for a response.

“We’re up!” Link called back, though he plopped his head back down onto Zelda’s pillow and closed his eyes.

But Zelda nudged him. “You have to be there before me. Wake up.”

He groaned and pinned Zelda down with his arm, nuzzling his face into her neck as he kept his eyes closed.

“No, no!” she laughed, “You have to get ready.”

“So do you, and you’re not moving.”

“You have me trapped! I can’t.”

She giggled as she pushed him off of her and rolled out from his grasp, hastily standing and pulling her robe on and yanking the blanket off of Link. “Get up!”

“Fine!” he muttered, though he was smiling. It was something he did a lot of these days.

Zelda helped him to his feet before leading him to the washroom with her, _very_ glad they’d gotten up earlier than they needed to.

* * *

Zelda let out several deep breaths, her hand clutching the wide fabric of her golden dress as if it were her lifeline to this world. She gave a few bounces of her feet and shook out her other hand, relieved to have both of them working fine again.

“You’re okay, Princess,” Seres said, fixing the dress Zelda had just crinkled. “You’ve been ruling for months. It’s just official now.

“You’ll finally have to call me Zelda, I think,” Zelda noted as she gave the dress a few half spins, comforted by watching it poof out with a light rustling sound.

“Unlikely, My Queen,” Seres laughed.

Zelda scoffed. “It’ll happen yet.”

A posh looking man draped in a fine red cape came over to them, bowing as he reached Zelda. She knew him well; Lord Fyer was one of the nobles who’d moved back into the apartments just off the palace. She liked him, at least. He wasn’t one of the mooching nobles that had taken up some of the other apartments, like Lady Maud and Master Cole.

“Princess, it’s time.”

“Goddess, please don’t let me mess this one up,” she muttered, pulling Seres into a long, needed hug before she took her place in front of the door and Seres grabbed the train of her dress. Adjusting the small crown in her hair, Zelda clasped her shaking hands in front of her and watched Fyre pull the door to the throne room open.

The room was _packed_. There was only barely enough room for her to squeeze her way down the center of the room towards her throne. As she reached the front, she could see Finn—one of the few not standing because of his leg—Ellie, Maryse, and an empty seat for Seres. In another row just behind them, she could see Owl and Shad. And in the very front row was Daltus. She made her way to an old woman who was waiting for her, one of the Goddess’ Faithful named Impa who was specifically trained in royal ceremonies.

When Zelda finally cleared the crowd, her eyes darted to the side where about fifteen soldiers stood at attention in formal uniforms reserved only for special events. And in the very front was Link, smiling at her with an unhidden expression of pride. He nodded once at her before turning his attention back to his job. He sent several of his soldiers to take up their expected places around Zelda, surrounding her at a distance.

Impa smiled kindly at Zelda as she offered her hand. Zelda took it and realized that Seres had left her already because the time was upon her.

Zelda turned and knelt down, facing the crowd: the one and only time the monarch of Hyrule knelt to someone else. Here, she wasn’t kneeling before a person, but an entire kingdom as she made a solemn vow.

Impa’s voice rang out well, despite her age. “Her Royal Highness, Princess Zelda Aravis Thaisa Hyrule, heir apparent to the Kingdom of Hyrule and all its Territories: you have already demonstrated your willingness to sacrifice for our beloved Hyrule. Now, we ask you to promise to serve the kingdom for all your days. Will you take the throne of the Kingdom of Hyrule?”

“I will,” Zelda said, hoping it was loud enough. Seres gave her an encouraging nod, and it set her mind at ease a bit.

Impa’s head bobbed. “And will you uphold the foundations that Hyrule has been built upon, seeking to further our Kingdom in every action you take?”

“I will.”

“Are you willing to give your life in service to our kingdom, or to the gods and goddesses?”

“I am willing.”

“And do understand that preserving the past, present, and future of Hyrule will be your priority and your duty?”

“I do.”

Impa smiled and put her hand on Zelda’s shoulder before removing the small crown from her head and placing it down. And from a pillow, she took King Nohansen’s crown, fitted to Zelda’s size, and placed it snugly on her head.

The moment it touched her hair, Zelda felt like it was _meant_ to be there. Her waves of nervousness washed away and she suddenly felt confident wearing the crown. In some way, the crown was like a hug from her father, one that said he was _happy_ to pass the throne to her, even if not the way he’d always intended.

With the crown in place, Zelda stood again and watched as the roles were reversed, with every citizen present bowing to her, even Daltus—though his was out of respect than obligation.

Impa rose from her bow first. “I present to you for the first time, Her Majesty, Queen Zelda Aravis Thaisa Hyrule, Ruler of the Kingdom of Hyrule and all its Territories. May her reign last long and flourish.”

The applause was silent in her ears as she took it all in. The first person she saw was Daltus, who surprised her with his smile. Her eyes drifted behind him to Finn and Seres, then Maryse and Ellie. Shad and Owl were hidden behind other’s heads.

She saved Link for last because she _knew_ he’d be harder to look away from.

It was a strange feeling. She’d seen people look at her with excitement or joy, anger, fear, even love. But to see someone she respected as much as Link look at her with _pride_ , it did something entirely new to her.

He knew her journey to get to this moment, and it made it all the more powerful when she found herself feeling natural in the crown, not like it was a burden or a birthright, but something she’d _earned._

She tore her eyes away from him, remembering the scrutiny everyone was under here. She didn’t have rupees to spare on an elaborate ball, but she’d thanked her guests for coming by providing them with drinks and music that echoed through the ballroom that everyone made their way to.

For a while, she tried to maintain some prim distance, feeling like that regal distance from the goings on was what was expected of her now, but she couldn’t help herself joining in with the others as Link and Shad lifted Finn so he could join in the dancing. She clung to Seres’ arm, watching with a free laugh.

Off to her side, she noticed Daltus talking with Lord Fyre, an undeniably coy smile on both their faces as they spoke. Zelda bit her lip, feeling _far_ too excited when Daltus laughed and moved out of the way of some dancers so they could continue to talk in peace.

“Stop spying,” Link said, nudging her.

Zelda scoffed. “I’m the Queen now. You can’t command me to do anything.”

Link took a deliberate step into her space. There was no need to pretend. They’d been caught kissing one too many times in one too many hallways since returning to the castle.

“Is that how it’s going to be now? What if I told you to dance with me?”

Zelda made a disgruntled noise and shook her head, though she grabbed his outstretched arm. “I’d say that I’m going to dance with you because it’s what _I_ want to do, not because you told me to.”

Link laughed as he followed her out into the room, closer to the music. But when they stopped, he held his arm _up_ , waiting.

Zelda stared at him, confused for a moment before taking in his expression. Her eyes bugged out and she gasped as she recognized the stance. “You didn’t! You learned my stuffy dance?”

Link nodded and waited. “It’s my coronation present to you. Took me about a month to learn, too, so go easy on me.”

Unable to contain herself at his surprise, she flung herself into his arms and pulled him down for a kiss that was respectful, but certainly not the most appropriate for a new queen and her knight to share in public. He pulled away from her after too long and ran a hand through her hair.

Holding up his hand again, he smirked at her, his flirty grin and sparkling eyes matched by her own. He wiggled his fingers.

“So, My Queen, will you dance with me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We FINALLY have Queen Zelda! Boom! Took almost 60 chapters, but we got it!
> 
> I was initially going to end on chapter 60, then I added this chapter, then the next one, and then I had to cut it in half because it went too long. TL;DR I can't write short things so this is almost guaranteed to end on chapter 62, so much so that I put it in the little thing where it says how many chapters are left. But I've lied before, so I mean... it won't be shorter than that anyway.


	60. Chapter 60

Queen Zelda sat outside on the swing that hung from the tree in the courtyard. She held a book low in her lap, covering the title with her skirt. She was beyond thankful to have a selection that wasn’t limited to _Strong Gazes_ , but she kept the title hidden anyway, knowing that the second someone saw that she wasn’t reading ledgers filled with tax information and was instead reading a frivolous, fun novel, she’d be the source of new gossip.

In truth, it hadn’t been too bad. A month after her coronation, the only rumors that were ever passed to her by her advisory Council were ones relating to her and Link. The rest were tame and forgettable. For the vast majority of people, she had their love and respect. But the _scandal_ of a queen and her knight—that she’d known would happen from the start—was apparently still everyone’s favorite tavern gossip.

And now, her advisors and the other nobles were already talking about finding her a suitable husband to start a family with. That little plan had leaked out of the palace too, sparking a whole new rumor mill. Zelda had gotten good information saying that it was her own advisors who’d let it slip in order to add some pressure on her.

In fact, that information came from Finn, who had begun watching and listening the way Viscen had told him to. He’d finally healed enough that Zelda had bought him a fitted peg-leg and had a custom crutch built for the least strain on him, so he’d be able to get around on his own. While he couldn’t fight, he was determined to be useful.

Standing up and tucking the book under her arms, Zelda decided to take a little walk before she had to go meet with Lady Maud and Master Cole _again_. For nobles, they certainly didn’t seem to have any respect for her time, which she spent all too often in trivial meetings with them. But things were going _too_ well in the kingdom for her to come up with any valid excuse to ignore them.

She let the wind brush her hair off of her face and looked into the gardens.

There was a familiar pair of boots lying on the ground.

Zelda went to investigate, briefly seeing a flash in her mind of Link, bleeding and cold. But as she rounded the corner of a low line of bushes, she let out a relieved breath, and then covered her mouth to silence a laugh so she could watch undiscovered.

Link was lying on his stomach in the grass, sprawled out like a child, and propped up on one of his arms. His other hand was busy moving across the grass back and forth rapidly, and his eyes were following his companion’s.

A small, orange kitten was watching his fingers like they were prey, its head snapping with every move Link made. He managed to move too fast for the kitten, causing it to lose track of his hand for a moment before leaning down, more focused. When Link kept his hand still for a moment, the kitten reached out its paw to swat curiously at Link’s hand. Link moved again, and this time the kitten followed, clasping both paws down on his hand.

Link moved his hand to run it through the scruffy fur on its head. “Good job,” he whispered, through the cat was now too preoccupied with Link’s hand as a toy. Its head tilted back so Link had to struggle to give it an affectionate head scratch, and it fell over onto its back, playfully swatting at his hand again.

One of its claws got caught in Link’s hand, pulling him down so the kitten had easier access to lightly bite between Link’s thumb and forefinger.

“Ow,” he muttered, freeing his hand. “You’re a tough opponent, my friend.”

As he tucked his hand back under him, the kitten let out a soft meow, lamenting the loss of its toy.

Link rolled onto his side and saw Zelda watching.

“This is without a doubt the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” she laughed.

He held out his hand, offering her to join. “Want to come meet my new girl? She’s replacing you as my favorite. Sorry.”

Zelda took his hand and leaned against him. “You know how to make a girl jealous, Link.” She held out her hand for the kitten to sniff, the small feline investigating all sides before looking back at Link. Zelda let her nails scratch the kitten’s fur, and after a few seconds, Zelda was grinning wide. “Oh Goddess, she’s purring. She’s so happy.”

“She’s thin. I think she’s just a stray.”

Zelda turned to him. “Want to adopt a kitten with me?”

Link tugged Zelda tighter with one arm and held the other out to the kitten. “What do you think? Want to join the family?”

As if on cue, the kitten let out a soft meow and then a yawn.

“We have to go to the market and get a few things,” Link said, his brain already spinning with things to do.

Zelda helped Link off the ground. “I have a meeting, and you’re supposed to come with me. We can go right after.” She watched him pick up the kitten, and it went quickly from a stretch for escape to a content purr in his arms. “Only condition is that she doesn’t sleep between us. I _will_ accidently roll onto her and I don’t want to hurt her. Besides, from how happy she looks, I think she might want all your attention.”

“Because she knows she’s worth it,” Link cooed, giving the kitten an affectionate stroke along its back.

“Smitten after only one day,” she laughed, heading inside.

Link was close on her heels. “It happened to me with you too.”

She snorted, trying to keep the blush off her face that he _still_ managed to get from her, stopping at the door to one of the studies. “Come on. She either comes inside for a meeting or she gets fed.”

“Fine,” he grumbled. And he turned to the guard at the door. “Torren, you have a cat, right?”

Torren nodded. “I do, Sir.”

“Would you mind taking this one down to the kitchens and see if there’s anything she can eat for now? She’s a stray.”

Torren chuckled, “I get the sense she’s not going to be a stray for much longer, Commander.”

“Sounds about right.”

“It’s about time. I thought you were going to take my Lucinda last time I brought her in.”

“I _was_ going to take her,” Link joked.

Zelda watched him patiently as he handed the kitten over. She shot him a bemused look before entering the room, both of them transitioning instantly into more proper versions of themselves. Link moved to the wall where he stood at attention, and Zelda took a seat across from her guests.

“Lady Maud. Master Cole. It’s good to see you both here _again._ ”

If they caught the bitterness in her tone, neither betrayed anything.

Lady Maud was an older noble, one who’d served on her father’s council. Master Cole was the middle-aged son of a former council member, so both of them had taken up roles as her advisors and chief voices for her council.

“Your Majesty, thank you for seeing us today,” Maud said with a dramatic bow before sitting. “We are here on behalf of the council. There is some urgent business to discuss.”

“Oh?” Zelda muttered. There was _always_ urgent business when they showed up, and she didn’t often expect anything else from them.

“The most pressing is the lordship over Damel. You still haven’t filled the position.”

“No, I have not,” Zelda said coolly, seeing the greed in their eyes as they spoke. “My cousin Prince Daltus has been there, so it was not necessary.”

“Of course, but he has returned home, and the town is being run by a proxy. It is time to settle someone into the town.”

“Very well,” Zelda sighed. “I will consider all options and return to the council with a decision at our next meeting.”

Maud bowed her head and turned to Master Cole.

He shifted uncomfortably, looking between her and Link uneasily before clearing his throat. “The council has spoken for a long time on this matter, Majesty. Your vows to this kingdom included ‘preserving the past, present, and future of Hyrule’ amongst your chief duties as monarch. And… as the last remaining member of the Royal Family of Hyrule, it is… your obligation to continue your lineage. Your family will die out with you.”

“Poor choice of words, Master Cole,” she cautioned, wringing her fingers together on her lap to keep her composure.

“Of course, Majesty. Forgive me. It’s just that… your current…” he glanced at Link again, “situation… is unsustainable.”

“Daltus is my heir,” Zelda said matter-of-factly. There was no room for argument.

“Well, yes…” he croaked. “But you must marry a highborn and continue the bloodline.”

Zelda sat back in her chair. This conversation wasn’t sprung on her. They’d been hedging for some time now, so she was prepared to hear it. “So,” she said with surprising ease. “I suppose you are insinuating that any bastard children I might have will be ineligible for the throne? It would hardly be questioned that they have my royal blood.”

Both Master Cole and Lady Maud looked appalled at her language and subject matter. “Majesty!” Cole balked.

But Zelda remained back in her chair, tense, though she was positive it wasn’t showing. If there was one thing she’d worked on as a Princess and begun perfecting as a Queen, it was her ability to keep her expression off her face in these situations. “What? You are the ones determined to call me to a meeting to talk to me about my own reproduction, yet you cannot listen to me speak plainly about it?”

Maud tensed. “It’s just that your language is unbecoming someone of your station. It caught us off guard. We must talk about this, though.”

Zelda grit her teeth. “If you’re so interested in discussing my lineage, then let’s. If I were pregnant by my knight, what in the Goddess’ name would you do?”

Link made a surprised face, _not_ expecting the turn of this conversation, so he was glad no one was looking at him. They were focused on Zelda, faces in absolute horror.

“Majesty, you aren’t…?”

“No. I’m asking you a hypothetical question, but I expect a real answer.”

Maud recovered first. “You must know by now that you are expected to marry well. Hyrule depends on your willingness to sacrifice for it. Your father did.”

That got a reaction from Zelda. She let out a disgusted noise. “As if I haven’t? My last betrothed tried to kill me, but I rode to war with him anyway. I nearly died to keep Ganondorf from taking this kingdom. I have sacrificed enough for now. And do not bring up my father. Let him rest without still being nagged about the affairs of the kingdom.”

Maud gave her an expectant look. “Please, Majesty, hear us. You are not understanding what we are saying.”

“I hear you quite loudly, Lady Maud. I must marry a noble or a royal and procreate at the behest of the Council. My knight, who it’s _very_ well-known I am having a romantic affair with, is not suitable, despite his positions as a Knight and a Commander. Your words are not difficult to understand. Do not insult my intelligence.”

“I wouldn’t presume to—”

“May I speak freely?” Cole asked, interrupting Maud.

Zelda rolled her eyes and gestured for him. “As if you haven’t already been.”

“Thank you. You are young still and filled with dreams. We are old. We have lived as long as you’ve been alive several times over. You must take the advice of those who know the harm of inaction. You leave yourself and the throne of Hyrule vulnerable.”

Zelda’s eyes narrowed as she leaned forward. “You’re a widowed noble, Master Cole. Are you throwing your hat in the ring for my affections?”

“I-I would be eligible, yes.”

“Are you also seeking to replace Niko as Damel’s sitting noble?”

“Majesty, all of us are. It is not a power play on my part. Even Lady Maud will petition for that honor, and she cannot court you. It is not an ulterior motive.”

“No,” Zelda muttered. “And you’re right. Someone does need to take command of Damel. Someone with experience leading, who’s good with people, and who knows the city. Someone like Sir Link, perhaps? And how odd, that title gives him the right to court me.”

Link made a surprised noise from behind her, but she didn’t turn. She knew this one was an empty threat. Even she alone didn’t have the power to create a new noble family, even if it consisted of one person. She’d need the backing of the Council. Her eyes were focused on Maud and Cole.

“Majesty,” Maud said, as if she were about to break the news of someone’s death. “There are no more seats for the nobility. Your Knight does not have the status allowing him to take the city anyway. I understand your pain, but…”

Zelda turned to Cole, stone-faced and betraying nothing, but internally growing more frustrated the longer this went on. They were treating her like Daltus once had: like a child. “Then I strip you of your titles, Master Cole, and I confer them onto my Knight.” _That_ was within her power. Zelda finally turned to Link. “Is this fair to you? You may now court me, Link.”

He nodded, unsure what _exactly_ was going on, but trusting that she knew what she was doing.

“Majesty!” Cole balked. “I have done nothing to you, nor have I committed a crime.”

Zelda inched forward. “I am not your puppet. I will not marry who _you_ wish or have children at _your_ command. You will stop coming to me with these demands, and you will not call on me five times a week to attempt to talk me into any more of your plans for this kingdom. You are on my council to _advise_ me. You believe I am a child who can be led or controlled, but I am dangling your title, lands, and family name in front of you. I don’t want to take them. But I will if you try to whisper in my ear one more time.

“I want nothing more than to be a good ruler, but I know even my father had to put you in your place, Lady Maud. I found his notes on Council meetings, and you were an agitator. I believe he threatened to pull a trade route from you if you continued to harass him, but you stopped quite suddenly.

“You are both here because I believed I needed you, but if you are snakes, as I currently believe you are, I’ve had my fair share and want nothing to do with you. You can leave my Council, and my presence. I knew there were things you could teach me. Apparently, the lesson you are on my Council to teach me is that I will not be walked on. Do you believe that there are other things you can still be helpful with? Should I keep you both on my Council?”

“Yes, of course,” they both muttered at once, put thoroughly in their places.

“Good. Then the first thing you will do is you’ll return to the Council and tell them that I will not be marrying a noble or a royal. I will marry whomever I choose, regardless of blood. Tell them I will have children if or when it suits _me_ , not them. You may advise me on every matter under the sun regarding Hyrule, but my personal life is my own. Enough people have tried to dictate it to me.”

“We… we will do that, Majesty.” Maud said, bowing.

“Good. Then your titles are restored, Master Cole. And I will get back to you both promptly with a replacement for Damel. I will see you in the Council meeting.”

Taking their cue, Maud and Cole bowed before silently leaving Link and Zelda alone in the room.

She sprung to her feet, fueled and energized. “They think that they’re Auru and that I’m some little Princess for them to command and bend. I’m not doing that. Did you know that last week, Cole tried to reroute one of Hyrule’s most profitable trade routes through his lands? He had everything signed and ready, like I would simply agree.”

“Zelda, do you realize what you just did?” Link asked, still stunned in place.

“Yes, I took back my dignity before they could wretch it from me. I am done being told what to do. Ganondorf tried to torture me into his will, Daltus and Niko tried to trick me into their will, Auru tried to kill me, and now _they’re_ trying to puppet me. It’s been two months, and Hyrule is returning to normal. I have trade routes flourishing, and people returning to their homes. I’ve donated what I can to get farmers and workers back on their feet, and it has spurred progress on! Do they think I can’t run a Kingdom because I’m young? I’m not doing too bad, am I?”

“I think you’re doing a fantastic job, Zelda, especially when you just made it so we could get married if you wanted to.”

“Thank you!” she huffed before his words settled in. And when they did, she turned to Link with an open mouth. “Oh Goddess, I did just do that. I’m not the Princess; I _can_ do that.”

“Can you really?”

“I just did, so… I guess I can. I couldn’t as the Princess, but they just… listened.” Zelda sat back down. “Is this something you _really_ want? The people are probably going to talk, the nobles won’t be happy. There’s no way you can be king; you’d be my consort.”

“That’s fine. All of that is fine. I don’t care.”

“You’d have to take my last name, you know. It's almost a pity; I really enjoyed being Zelda Forrester. It was freeing, it didn't hold the entire weight of a Kingdom, and it had a nice ring to it.”

Link shrugged with an easy smile. “You took mine on the run, it’s only fair I get to take yours too.”

She snorted. "Link Hyrule. Gods, that will take getting used to."

"It sounds posh. I like it."

“Are we doing this?” Zelda laughed, finally standing up and leaning into him.

“Well, that depends. Will you marry me?” Link asked, chuckling as he pulled her closer.

“Obviously.”

“Then we’re doing this.”

Zelda pushed her hair from her face, breathless. “We’re doing this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have a cat, we have a proposal, what more can we have!? I'm genuinely not sure I've ever written so many happy chapters in a row for something! It had to happen after all those chapters of death, separation, and suffering for these two!


	61. Chapter 61

Zelda sat in the carriage, staring out the window into the light blue sky. The weather was nearly perfect, like the Goddess had stopped suffocating everyone with unbearable heat for just this one day.

To the entire kingdom, the Queen was simply on an excursion to the Sacred Grove for a few days. She was to be offered privacy, and her guards were on the edges of the forest, ensuring she was not disturbed.

In truth, she, Seres, Finn, and Link were all arriving to the Sacred Grove all at once for something the kingdom didn’t know about.

Link’s head was on Zelda’s shoulder, his eyes closed as he breathed loudly, still tired from several duties he’d had to take care of before venturing out from the castle. He’d had to settle people into new roles. He and Finn had also been working on rebuilding Viscen’s spymaster network for Zelda, and it had proven more tedious than they’d expected. Good spies didn’t announce their trade. Link, Finn, and Zelda were determined to get people into Maud and Cole’s households, just in case they retaliated following Zelda’s turn of power.

It had taken some convincing, but the Council had agreed to Zelda’s decision to marry Link. That wasn’t surprising. But what _was_ surprising was that she learned just how many lies her council had been feeding her and why.

The gossip she’d been hearing about her and Link hadn’t been started by the average citizens of Hyrule. The whispers in taverns were rare, and the pointed looks cast her and Link’s way were twisted by the nobles reporting it.

Link was loved by the people, and her relationship with him was only looked down on by those who’d had the opportunity to raise the status of their families by marrying the Queen themselves.

After she’d announced it to the public, she’d heard more rumors, but they had been overwhelmingly in favor of their marriage. Perhaps some of it had to do with their unhidden affections for the other, but she suspected that a larger part was _because_ Link was a commoner who’d managed to rise from imprisoned soldier, to Knighted Commander, to future King Consort. He had the fairytale that many dreamed of, though most dreams didn’t involve quite the struggle they’d faced to get Link to this position.

Thanks to their union’s massive popularity, they’d be holding an outdoor wedding to share with Hyrule at the end of the month, and preparations were well under way.

But it wasn’t to either of their styles.

_Zelda had pulled Link aside. “Do you remember what you said to me when I was dying?”_

_“Yes?” he said, confused. She’d given him no context to her sudden question. “I’m honestly a little surprised you do.”_

_“I remember every word. You said we ran off and had a private wedding with us and our cat. Well, she’s not coming… but is that something you’d consider? Sneaking away and getting married with just a few people—Seres and Finn—and then having the public ceremony be the showy one?”_

It was how they ended up travelling to the Sacred Grove.

There was a small cabin in the woods that Seres had prepared with some clothes and food, and she’d secretly brought Zelda and Link’s more formal clothing as well, though it was nothing nearly as spectacular as they’d wear for the public wedding.

Finn had taken care of the legal documents, and he’d arranged for Impa to arrive at the grove shortly after they did. She’d be performing both the real and the fake ceremonies, and judging by her response to Finn’s request, she’d been more excited than scandalized by their actions.

“Link,” Zelda murmured, shaking her shoulder for good measure, though she knew he’d wake to just his name.

His eyes snapped open, blinking several times before wiping the sleep from his eyes. But when he saw the trees outside the window, he smirked. “Oh, I’m awake now.”

“You still snore like a baby,” Finn snorted, though it wasn’t entirely true. Link breathed loudly, but he was just short of snoring.

“At least I don’t snore like a moblin.”

Seres rolled her eyes and gestured to Link. “You’re sure you want to marry him?”

“King of Poor Comebacks,” Finn mused.

With a sly grin, Zelda leaned her elbow on Link’s shoulder, and he scooted down to make it easier for her. “You do sound like a moblin, Finn. I shared a room with you for a while. Perhaps that’s why it took me so long to heal from my wound: a lack of rest.”

“Sure, defend him,” Finn laughed.

Zelda offered a halfhearted shrug, turning to Link to offer him a small high-five, which he returned with a smug grin to Finn. “We’re on the same team.”

“Except when we play that game with Ellie. You’re horrible. I don’t want you on my team for that.”

Link made a playfully offended face and placed his hand over his heart. “Zelda, you wound me.”

“I can if you want me to,” she grinned.

“No!” Finn balked. “Save any of that for when Seres and I aren’t here.”

The carriage jerked to a halt, and Link slid out first to help Finn. Though he had his fake leg and his crutch—which he’d made great progress with—he still struggled with inclines and stairs.

Link helped Seres and Zelda out as well while the carriage driver steered the horses out of sight. They were in front of the cabin, still no sign of Impa, and took in the sights.

The trees were so tall, it hurt to try to look at the tops. The canopy was wide enough that sun still managed to reach them, but there were more shadows than anything, casting intricate patterns across the grass and rocks.

There was a steady hum of a waterfall in the distance, the sound of small lapping waves where the water crashed down and tried to escape to shore.

“This place is beautiful,” Zelda said, bending down to examine a blue and white flower. “How did you find it?”

“Impa suggested it,” Finn admitted, hobbling towards the cabin.

Seres followed behind him, but Link grabbed Zelda’s wrist to stop her. “Give us one second. We’ll be in.”

Waiting for the sound of the door closing, Zelda felt herself giggle. “We’re really here, aren’t we?”

“Yes we are,” Link said, kissing her forehead before stepping away. He was fiddling with something in his pocket. “I wanted to get you something for today, but I’ve still been foregoing getting paid rupees, so I don’t really have much.”

“You don’t need to…”

“Wait, I _did_ get you something. So, with my _old_ stash of rupees, I got you this for today.” He held out a ring, but it was made of some type of plastic or rubber, certainly not metal. “So this,” he continued, “is what a lot of soldiers will wear when they know they’re going to fight so they don’t lose their personal jewelry. It’s meant to be a replacement for a real ring, so it seemed fitting.”

Zelda was blushing as she looked at the ring. But when she went to take it, he tucked it into his palm.

“But,” he said again, smiling as her hand attempted to chase his, “Seres saw it and had a different idea. Since _our_ rings are still being worked on, she found us two others.”

Zelda gasped, her hand covering her mouth as she stared at the two new rings in his hand. “These were my parents’ rings.”

He nodded and let her take them, looking closely at the designs etched into it. “They were in the room with your parents’ things. I know you wish they were here.”

Zelda pulled him down to her, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing him tightly against her. “Thank you,” she whispered into his ear before kissing his cheek, unwilling to unwrap her arms from him just yet.

He hummed a response into her before picking her up with ease, carrying her along with him towards the cabin where Seres and Finn were waiting.

“Hey, wait!” she laughed, tapping his arm until he put her back down. “I want my ring.”

“You don’t want to wait?”

“Not that one, the one _you_ got me.”

“The fake one?”

“It’s not fake,” she said, reaching into his pocket.

“Hey!” he laughed, grabbing her wrist as her hand aggressively fumbled around his pockets for the ring.

When she felt it, she pulled it out with a triumphant expression and slid it onto her finger, admiring it with a genuine expression. She wasn’t enjoying it for his sake. “This is staying on. And by the way, why haven’t you told me no one is paying you? You’re the Commander.”

“You need the rupees for other, more urgent things, and I can mooch off you for a little while anyway, right? If I need some new boots, you’ll foot the bill?”

“Was that a pun?”

“I would never joke about boots.”

“Right,” she chuckled, but the sound of an approaching wagon had them both alert.

Link knew it was Impa, but on instinct, his hand went to the knife in his belt where it stayed until the older woman was helped out of her own carriage. His fingers only relaxed when he could see that it wasn’t a trick, and that it was only Impa.

“Lovely. You’re here already. Let’s get this moving then! I’m sure you’re both anxious for us to all leave you alone for a few days.”

Link’s eyebrows shot up and his face turned so red in a way that usually only Zelda’s teasing was able to accomplish. But from the looks of the seemingly innocent and unimposing old woman, he hadn’t expected any implied comment like that to come from her mouth.

Zelda bit her lip and pulled Link with her into the cabin as they followed Impa.

Seres took note of Zelda’s expression and then down to her hand, where she could see the little band. “You gave them to her?”

“I showed her. She wanted mine now,” Link said, looking where Finn had already laid out most of the pieces of parchment, drawn up and only in need of a signature.

“Ah,” Impa sighed, settling down. “The most romantic part of a wedding: paperwork.” She signed her name to something and then pushed it towards everyone else.

Link snorted, still not recovered from her earlier comment. But his eyes trailed down the agreement to see what he was about to sign his name to.

His name.

He stopped.

“Zelda, someone misprinted this.”

Zelda hovered beside him while he pointed to their names. “Actually,” she said, leaning into him. “This is my surprise for you. We started this journey together one way, and we’re starting a new one another way. I thought it might be appropriate to keep both.” She lifted the parchment to reveal a second page. “I also have it the way we discussed, just in case, so no pressure to accept.”

“Is this like your great-grandparents?” he asked, looking at the words again.

Zelda nodded, watching him carefully. “What do you think?”

“You know I’m more than happy to take just your name, right?”

And Zelda appreciated that because she knew it was also legally forced on him even if he were, for some reason, vehemently opposed. “Yes, but I want this to be _our_ name, not just yours or just mine.”

“Be honest,” he laughed, and Zelda was glad to see genuine his excitement from her surprise change. “You just wanted to have a longer name.”

“Honestly? You just needed a longer one.”

He dipped the quill into the ink, shaking his head. “Your Council is going to try and murder us in our sleep once they see this.”

“Oh absolutely. I can’t wait to see their reactions.”

Link chuckled and handed her the quill before he stepped to the side. She signed her name.

_Zelda Aravis Thaisa Forrester-Hyrule_

_Link Forrester-Hyrule_

“Witnesses,” Impa said, urging Finn and Seres to sign.

While they were preoccupied, Zelda tugged Link down to her for a quick kiss. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too.”

“ _Technically_ ,” Zelda grinned, “we’re already married. All we had to do was sign to make it legal.”

“Oh,” he cooed, “Yes we are.”

But Impa clapped her hands, snapping them out of it. “You two should change, or whatever you want to do before we begin. I must be back home tonight if you want this to remain private, otherwise, my people will look for me. Elders wandering through Hyrule at night without a reasonable excuse will spark a vigorous search.”

“Right,” Link muttered as Impa, Seres, and Finn left them.

They didn’t wear anything fancy; woods and dirt and grass and the privacy of the situation allowed for simple clothes. Link wore a nice shirt and pants, unlike the Knight-Commander armor he’d been instructed to wear for the public ceremony, or the expensive fabrics he’d have to change into after. Zelda was in a loosely flowing dress that flared out when she spun, the sleeves loose and ending before her elbow. For the public ceremony, she’d be in a ballgown, jeweled and glittering, embroidered with the royal family’s symbol stitched with golden threads. She’d have tight sleeves that hooked around her finger, and a crown under a long veil that denoted her status with its length, fabric, and meticulous detail. Today, however, was for them. They didn’t have to dress for the public.

“Zelda,” Link called, turning around.

She spun to look at him, taking her time as her eyes roved over him. When she finally made it up to his face, she saw him doing the same, his train of thought completely gone as he looked her over.

“Link?”

His eyes snapped up and he cleared his throat, blinking a few times. “You look beautiful.”

Zelda grinned as she slid into her flat shoes. “You’re looking pretty handsome yourself. But I don’t think that’s why you called me?”

“I… what?”

“You said my name?”

Link shook his head, his eyes moving over her again. “No… I… _oh_! Can I have my sword?”

Zelda chuckled and grabbed the sheathed sword and belt that were against the wall. “Catch,” she said, tossing it lightly to him.

He caught it with ease and started securing it around him and readjused his knife. “Thanks.” Of everyone present, he was the only one able to fight unless Finn could get himself onto a horse first, so he was still _technically_ on duty, despite the circumstances.

A muffled voice outside the door broke their spell and gently reminded them that they needed to get outside soon for her sake and for theirs.

They hurried and followed Impa as she walked away from everyone, Seres staying beside Finn as they struggled to hustle to match the older woman’s speed.

Impa stopped just by the water and waited. “Please take each other’s hands as we ask the Goddess for her blessing.”

“Ew,” Link joked, taking one of Zelda’s hands.

She made a face and rubbed her hand aggressively over his cheek, giggling as she did.

He turned into her and pushed her hand away with his nose, laughing.

Impa cleared her throat, not uncomfortable or annoyed, but clearly on a timer to return home.

“Sorry,” Link muttered sheepishly, grabbing Zelda with both hands and keeping a straight, attentive posture.

Impa smirked and held her hands out to her sides.

“We are sent into this world with the Goddess Hylia’s blessing and love. She gives us shelter on her land, food from her gardens, and life from her spirit. But even the Goddess herself did not traverse this world alone. She has intended for us to find those we call family—through spirit or by blood—and spend our precious time in her world with those we find along the way.

“When we come together to celebrate two of her people finding one another, we witness a manifestation of the Goddess’ blessing. The Goddess brings people together in many ways. If two souls are fated to be together, they will find one another in countless lifetimes. Memories of that love are not stored in the brain, but in the heart and soul. And when those wandering spirits reunite, the bond that has formed throughout many lifetimes remains unbroken.

“Tonight, we celebrate the union of two of these souls whom the Goddess has blessed, and we unite them once again with a promise that is not easily fractured between bound souls. It is not the first time nor the last time that these two will find each other, and a great comfort should be taken in that knowledge. Your souls are bound for an eternity, and may your reunion be quick in the next life so you will never come to fear leaving one another alone in this one.”

Impa opened her eyes and looked between them. “Please, would you both repeat after me: In life and death, in soul and spirit, I exchange pieces of myself with you until there is no distinguishing where I end, and you begin. We become one soul who has found its other half. I place my trust in you.”

Link and Zelda held the other’s hand a little tighter as they repeated the words together. Both found their grins growing bigger with every word until their teeth were showing wide in their mouths.

When they’d finished, Impa looked at both of them. “Do you have anything to exchange, or will you wait until the public ceremony?”

Fishing in his pocket for Zelda’s parents’ rings, he handed her one and slid hers onto her finger, lowering his voice, though he didn’t even realize there was an audience of three. To him, the world had faded so it was just the two of them. “When we first spoke, the circumstances weren’t ideal, me being bound to the wall and everything. I remember hearing you with Ganondorf before we actually met, and you just… you _sounded_ like someone I knew. Not because you were the Princess, but because it felt like I’d known _you._ Then I saw him going to hit you, and something snapped in me that I’ve never wanted to fix. When I first saw you, you were being held against a wall by some bokoblins. It happened again. I didn’t know who you were, but I _knew_ _you._ Maybe it’s because we were meant to meet again in this life. Maybe it’s because a part of me knew we’d end up here. Maybe I honestly just thought you were beautiful and strong standing up to Ganondorf. I don’t know. I did some dangerous things for a stranger. Now I get to do some dangerous things for my _wife_.”

“What dangerous things are you planning?” she asked, her hand tightening around his.

“Life. Living. It’s filled with danger.”

She slid the ring onto his finger and looked back up to him. “I like a little bit of danger. You can’t get rid of me that easily, _husband._ I’m here to stay.”

He smirked at the words he’d often said to her. “Good. So am I.”

* * *

Seres and Finn stayed for a while after Impa left, drinking a glass of wine they’d brought and sharing stories, much like a small party. But they finally left, leaving the sound of Seres and Finn’s carriage departing, rolling along the rocks until it faded into nothingness, leaving only the sound of birds, rustling trees, and running water, the remaining sounds created a sort of song of the forest.

Zelda turned to Link. She sat on the bed inside the cabin, while Link was staring out the wide-open windows.

“We can go outside if you want. You don’t have to look from the window.”

“I’m sure we’ll make it out there eventually,” he said with a sly grin in her direction. But he turned wholly to face her, leaning casually against the windowsill. “I’m just taking this all in. Until the Council agreed, I _never_ thought this would actually happen. We joked about it, I dreamed about it, but I never believed.”

“No,” Zelda agreed, moving to stand beside him. “I never thought they’d say yes to us. I was happy to live a scandalous life with you as my ‘male mistress’ as you called yourself.”

“Now you can live a scandalous life with me as your husband. We’ve been married, what, two hours? We’ve already done three things against everyone’s wishes: snuck away like teenagers, changed our name, and got married early so no one could bother us.”

“Oh, I can’t wait to hear how people react. The Council will find out everything when they see our paperwork. Impa might even get in trouble for helping us. I wonder if they’ll let our secret trip slip out to the public, or if they’ll keep it to themselves.”

Link pulled her by the elbow until she was against him, “They’ll keep it to themselves. They’ll look like fools otherwise because they didn’t know.”

“I might leak it just for fun, then,” Zelda mused.

Link hummed out a laugh and bent to kiss her, caught up in the way the light from outside was teasing her face. She didn’t resist, despite being in the middle of a conversation. Instead, she fisted his shirt and pushed him backwards until they bounced back against the wall. She didn’t know which of them had gotten his shirt off in the process, but she let her hands drag down over his exposed torso, occasionally bumping over a raised scar. She watched his muscles bunch and play at her touch, loving what she could do to him with very little effort.

But that got her thinking, and Zelda pulled away, already breathless as she looked up at him, her brows crinkling as she thought harder. “I’m nowhere near strong enough to push you that far. Why do you always just let me throw you around the room?”

Link threw his head back and laughed before running his hand down her side. “Because I like when you push me around.”

“I know you do, but I’m not really, am I?” Her expression changed from passionate hunger to comical and determined. “Let me try. Come on, let me try to push you against the wall! I want to know if I can actually do it. You’re already weak-kneed around me.”

He snorted and rolled his eyes playfully. “You are the only person who could make this sound highly amusing and _incredibly_ desirable at the same time.” He shook his head in disbelief but found himself nodding in agreement. “Go ahead, Warrior Queen.” His grin was fixed on hers, though he was unabashedly blushing as he watched her adorably determined expression while she pulled him away from the wall a bit—which he also let her do.

Link had to bite his lip to keep more laughter from escaping him as she threw her body weight onto him. He braced himself and barely stumbled. It reminded him of her trying to take the chess piece from his tucked arms. He’d had to unclench his muscles for her move him then too.

So _he,_ at least, was unsurprised by her many failed attempts. After too many tries, Link’s composure broke, and he was cackling as she pushed against him.

His hands snaked out and grabbed her hips, not hard but enough to stop her from rearing back again. He took a step forward and lifted her up before spinning them both, and she found herself pinned by him, her legs wrapped around his waist.

“That’s not the game,” she tried, but it didn’t come out with half as much force as she’d wanted.

“I was demonstrating for you,” he muttered, though his words were muffled as he kissed her easily accessible collarbone.

“Fine,” she breathed. “But only because I also like it when you have me against a wall.”

“I know you do,” he smirked into her before he nipped the skin and his tongue brushed over the spot, leaving her breathlessly arching into him as she made a soft noise, very much _not_ one of pain. In fact, when he did it again, holding her tighter with one arm so his other hand was free against her skin, she made the same sound again, only this time he was sure it was the broken sound of his name. “I’m your husband. I know these things about you.”

She pushed him back a bit so she could reach his lips, devouring them before pulling away with a light bite on his bottom lip with her nails tightly gripping his shoulders, returning the favor as he groaned into her. “If you know so much, get me out of this bodice then, _husband_.”

And _that_ was something he wasn’t about to argue with.

“As my wife commands.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's only one chapter left everyone! I'm struggling to write it because I really don't want it to end!! I'm not ready!! I'm on a computer, so pretend I've just put tons of sobbing emojis here!! I hope this chapter satisfies everyone who has wanted them together for some time! They're enjoying finally being able to be sappy and happy. I'm going to stop typing this note now and *sobs* go write the FINAL chapter.


	62. Chapter 62

* * *

-Two Years Later-

* * *

Zelda stood outside the door, fidgeting with the item in her hand before pushing it open, hoping to see Link.

And she did see him. He was lying down on the couch by their fireplace with a book about war tactics in his hand that he’d been reading for days.

“Hey, Pumpkin,” Zelda cooed, putting the item down and heading towards the couch.

He looked over at her and made a face.

Zelda scoffed in his direction. “I’m not talking to you.” She picked up the tubby orange kitten from the couch and pulled her into her arms before sitting beside Link, stroking the cat as she purred in perfect contentment.

Link turned back to his book. “I didn’t think you’d call me by our cat’s name. But hey, whatever makes you happy.”

She rolled her eyes and showered Pumpkin with affections, missing her after a considerably long day. But after some time, Pumpkin stretched her way out of Zelda’s arms and moved to sit on Link, her preferred of the two, much to Zelda’s dismay. Pumpkin sat directly in Link’s line of sight to his book.

“I guess I’m done reading,” he chuckled, setting the book upside-down on his leg so he could run his fingers through Pumpkin’s fur. “How’d it go today?”

Zelda curled up against Link. “Do you know how many people want this trade route? I gave it to the towns nearest the Zora’s.”

“One day, you can stop thanking them for saving Damel. I think you should have given it to my old Garrison.”

Zelda hummed. He liked to offer completely illogical suggestions to her. The Garrison was nowhere near the road she was talking about, and he knew it. “You’d play favorites?”

“Of course. It’s why I don’t have any say in your decisions.” He kissed her forehead, officially greeting her. He hadn’t seen her all day, being busy with the Castle Garrison. They’d become the Kingdom’s training hub, and he’d not only been leading the actual activities of the Garrison, but also leading several training exercises and overseeing the daily progress of his soldiers.

It had been a couple of days since he’d returned from leading the most recent attack on a dinofols raiding party that had gotten too close to the castle. Though this was the second of two raids, spaced about a week apart—and they were trying to figure out if it was coordinated or random—leading the raids had been the first good dose of a _real_ fight he’d had in more than a month before that. Raids were common though, especially when a group of monsters thought to try and attack. But it was usually moblins or bokoblins, something that required little energy or excitement. And while Link _loved_ his life more than anything, the deeply ingrained soldier part of him still liked the challenge of a good fight that dinofols, Hylians, or other tougher enemies brought.

Finn had been helping Link train the new recruits as well. He’d gotten used to walking with the fake leg and the crutch, and he could move much faster. He could even demonstrate some swordsmanship, but his skill was nowhere near what it used to be. However, his brain was, and he’d been very good at doubling as trainer and spymaster, though very few people knew about his second title.

After a brief dalliance with Seres, they’d both come to the realization that they were no more than friends, and he’d begun seeing one of Zelda’s trainees. Zelda had taken more potion lessons from Shad and honed her skills, stitching internal wounds and studying until he’d tested her _thoroughly_ on all aspects of the field. She’d passed his examination, and—though her profession as Queen stopped her from becoming a full-time or highly-practiced physician—she began to offer to mentor Shad’s trainees from his practice in Castle Town. If not the time or experience, Zelda had the knowledge to offer them that much. One of them, Iris—named ironically by her parents for her slightly un-matching eye colors—had begun to help Finn get around, and a year later, they were still happily together.

Ellie had been one of her other students, though she’d begun to discover that her interests weren’t quite so in-depth. Instead, she began to dabble, and was still in the process of figuring out what she wanted to do permanently. She’d gone back home for a time to give farming another shot but returned when it proved to remain her least favorite thing.

Seres had her short-lived fling with Finn, but other than that, she hadn’t been nearly as interested in romantic aspiration as she thought she’d be. She would still dream of the days she ran the house in Damel and had begun to ask Zelda for books that explained money handling a bit better. Zelda had given her everything she could find, and included an offer of rupees if she was looking for something specific and expensive to get started, but Seres opted to go the long way around, remaining with Zelda while she studied, and working outside the palace as well, helping the local innkeeper by handling the books in exchange for some practical lessons in how to run a building.

So, when Zelda had sent Link a message asking him to return to their room early, he’d been more than happy to oblige, their first restful moment since his return and chaotic scramble to catch up on his missed work.

But Zelda had been late, and Link began to read his book again, kept company by his faithful—if slow and easily tripped over—orange shadow.

“I have something,” she said, rising to her feet again to grab the item off the un-set chess table she’d put it on. She returned to Link with a crown.

“It’s nice,” he said, looking it over before glancing back at her. “Why are you holding it out to me?”

“Take it.”

He did and turned it in his hands a few times. “Why? I’m not allowed to wear one.” He plopped it on his head anyway and chuckled as it immediately fell off. “It’s too small for me anyway.”

She crossed her arms expectantly. He sighed, trying to figure her expression out.

“Okay, we’re playing a guessing game with this,” he said, gently moving Pumpkin off of him so he could stand in front of Zelda. He put the crown on her head. “Also too small. You have a big head, Zelda.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Good, it was meant as one. That brain of yours is bursting.” He kissed her as he took the crown off her head and flipped it over again. “Oh it’s our stones,” he chuckled, tapping the purple and green stones that represented the two royals. Zelda’s color had come from a combination of her parents, and Link’s came about as a play on his part of their name—green for Forrester. There were a few more, one dark green color between them and some on the sides, blue, red, orange, and several other colors that circled it, but he opted to ignore those and continue tapping his and Zelda’s as he thought. 

He smirked at her mischievously. “This isn’t for some fantasy of yours, is it? You want to call me your king?”

Zelda barked out a laugh and lightly smacked his arm. “Please! Your ego does not need the help!”

Zelda took the crown back from him before he could get any other thoughts along that line. She laid down on the bed and set the crown down on her stomach, stretching out her arms above her as she yawned and then comfortably watched Link continue his struggle.

“I don’t know. Can I have a hint? At least tell me why I have to guess. I don’t see how this is going to have anything to do with me.”

“Fine,” she sighed. She looked him over slowly and then closed her eyes. “It does have to do with you, and I just like watching you struggle to try and figure this out. You’re cute.”

“So, selfishly enjoying me struggling, and somehow, it’s something to do with me? You’ve got me, Zelda. I have no clue.”

She smirked.

“You’re torturing me with something, aren’t you? I’ve forgotten something incredibly important.”

Her smile grew.

Link cursed under his breath and tried to think of important events. It wasn’t close to Zelda’s birthday. His had been last month. There were no anniversaries, good or bad, that he could think of. He went to kneel beside her, resting his arms on the mattress.

She grabbed the crown to steady it as he jostled the bed, and his eyes narrowed suspiciously at the crown.

“What is—” he stopped, running his hand through his hair again, his eyes on their stones. The order. Her purple stone. A lower-rung deep moss green colored stone. Then his significantly brighter green stone on the same level as hers. He looked around the crown to the other stones, feeling his heart start to race as his brain puzzled it out. Red and blue, her parent’s stones. Between them, purple and orange. Zelda and her sister’s.

And she was not letting the crown move from where it rested.

Link leaned back onto his heels and glanced at her eyes. They’d softened, from mischief to expectance. She could see his expression and was waiting for him to process his thoughts.

He swallowed hard and glanced from the crown, down to the stomach it rested on. “Zelda… am I on the right track?”

She reached out to grab his hand and nodded, tightening her grip as she felt him sway a bit. He had the sense to stop balancing on his heels and get to his knees as he tried to make his blank mind function again.

“You’re…?”

“Yes.”

He let out a disbelieving laugh. “We’re…?”

“We are, Link.”

His eyes bugged out. “Are you sure? You’re sure? Really sure?”

Zelda finally sat up and rested her palms on Link’s cheeks, forcing him to look at her face and not her stomach or the crown. “I saw Shad this morning. He ran blood tests. We’re sure.”

“Shad knew first?”

Zelda ran her fingers through Link’s hair. “Shad knew before me, Link. He called me in with suspicions. Don’t feel left out.”

“Oh Goddess,” Link breathed, fighting back a smile as he kept reasoning things out in his brain. “You didn’t have a stomach bug last week.”

“Probably not. No.”

“How did this happen?”

Zelda cracked a smile and kissed his forehead. “I really hope I don’t have to explain that one to you, Link.”

He flushed and grabbed her hands. “That’s not what I mean. I meant… when? How… how far along…”

That had Zelda turning red, red with giddy nerves, not _quite_ embarrassment, but more akin to sheepishness. “Well, based on everything we know… and we know you were away on those raids for a while, so it wasn’t then… I’d suggest it might have been somewhere on or around your birthday? We maybe didn’t take timing into consideration when we… celebrated it.” She bit her lip and closed her eyes, trying not to laugh.

“Oh sweet Goddess,” Link mumbled, feeling his own dose creeping up his neck. “Yeah, that would do it,” he chuckled.

“Are you excited, Link? I can’t tell. And be honest because this was an unexpected surprise for me too. But I went through most of my emotions this morning.”

“Oh, gods, yes! I am!” he said quickly. And it was the truth. “I just… I’m in a bit of shock, I think. This isn’t a dream?”

“No. I can pinch you if you’d like some proof.”

This time, he broke out into a genuine smile, and he laughed, crawling over Zelda and onto the bed.

“We’re going to have a… _baby_?”

Zelda turned to him and grinned. “How are you so surprised? You’re the one who keeps pretending we’re going to have 27 kids. You have to start at number one.”

“We’re going to be parents. How are you not in shock?”

Zelda scooted closer to him. “I told you, I found out a few hours ago. I’m ahead of you with processing this news. I had a very similar experience in Shad’s office. I think he might have needed to tell me a few times and then show me the tests, which I made him run again.” She held out her arm, pointing to the mark where they’d drawn blood from.

“Can I…?” Link asked, his hand hovering over her stomach.

“You don’t have to ask, Link. I’m not fragile, just pregnant.”

He rested his hand down, half expecting to feel a kick, but knowing that was a silly thought to even consider at this point. “If it’s a girl, do we have to name her ‘Zelda?’”

Zelda hummed. “I think that would be expected of us, yes. However, we have followed almost none of the proper rules since being married, and if you’re willing to fight the Council with me when they try to beg us to follow at least one tradition, I’d rather not name her ‘Zelda’.”

“You obviously have my undying support. Her name is not going to be Zelda, and even though they’ll never ask, if it’s a boy, his name will never be Link.”

“Thank you,” she sighed. But quickly, she was shaking her head. “They’re going to hate us when they’re learning to write, though. Their first name, two middle names, and then our combined last names. And you thought my name was long.”

Link chuckled. “We’ll have to keep their names short for their sake. Like Al.”

Scrunching her face, Zelda tried not to laugh. “Something like Al Jo Li Forrester-Hyrule, just so they don’t have to write out too many long names their whole life.”

“Girl or boy, our kid is going to be named Al Jo Li. Done. Sold. I’m in.” Link, however, was unsuccessful in keeping his face even remotely serious.

“Look at that, we are eight months ahead of the game here. Already have a name. We’re going to crush this parenting thing,” Zelda laughed, finally cracking.

“Hey,” Link asked, changing up the pattern he was making along her stomach, “how did you get this crown so fast if you found out this morning?”

Zelda snorted. “The Council gave it to me about a month after we were first married as a sort of wedding present threat that I should get pregnant quickly. At least I gave them two good years of stress on that front.”

Link tucked his other arm under Zelda’s neck and ran his other hand through her hair. “You’re going to be incredible, Zelda.”

“You too.”

But Link shook his head and closed his eyes. He felt her tapping him, urging him to explain. He wasn’t sure if he should, or if the admission would make him seem like someone she _wouldn’t_ want to father her child.

“Zelda,” he started, deciding to go for it. He’d lived his life with her by being resolutely blunt; why change now? “I don’t have any idea how to be a father. I’ve lived more of my life without a father figure than I did with one. My grandfather was the only really good role model I had for that, and he died when I was young. I don’t want to ruin our child because I don’t know how to be a father.”

She understood his fear far more than she wanted to. “You’re not going to ruin our baby, Link. Besides, you’re so good with Ellie, and Pumpkin is even a bit of practice.”

“A sixteen-year-old and a cat?”

“Well don’t phrase it like _that_ ,” she giggled. “We’ll be fine. We can do this. And we have people here who will help us. I just wish… I wish…”

Link nodded against her, knowing exactly what her words were failing to say. “You wish your parents and your sister were here.”

She turned to him with a single tear in her eye. “Yeah.”

“Do you want to take a ride out to the grave tomorrow?”

She bit her lip as another tear fell. “Yes.” And after a while of just breathing in an out to collect herself, but she found her own anxieties rising again.

“Link, I—” she tried before hissing, furiously wiping a third tear away. “Goddess, this crying is frustrating!”

Link shifted so his hand was on her cheek, ready. “I’ve got you covered. Go ahead. What were you going to say?”

And the gesture had another tear falling, one that Link hastily swiped away for her. It made her laugh, her heart swelling, _screaming_ just how much she loved him.

“Okay,” she said, focusing her breathing again. “I’m not going to lie, as excited as I am, I’m terrified, too. I’ve had to keep repeating that I’m pregnant because it doesn’t feel real until I remind myself. I haven’t gotten over fear yet.

“I had a mother my whole life. She was a beautiful, caring, loving mother who gave her life to try to keep her children safe. She _literally_ sacrificed herself for us, Link. How can I measure up to that?” She felt his thumb brush some tears away, and she tried to blink them back, but they weren’t really working with her. “You didn’t have a father figure, but my mother was _too_ incredible. Anything I attempt after her would be sub-par.”

“Gods, no, Zelda,” he whispered, his thumbs both wiping tears now. “I know I might be a little biased, but I’ve never met anyone that I would trust more than you, and there’s no one else in this word I would want to be the mother of our child. Forget our parents. You and I are going to do everything we can to make sure they’re loved and cared for. Neither of us have ever half-assed anything before, so there’s no way we’ll start now. We might fumble around in the dark a bit, but we’re going to give this everything we’ve got. That’s going to count for a whole lot more than we think.”

Zelda let out another sob, growling in annoyance as she did. “Gods, I hate how much I love you. You’re making me cry _more_ because you’re being incredible.”

Link chuckled. “Sorry. I only speak in facts though, and that one is a fact.”

One of his hands moved back to her stomach, and she found her hand joining his, resting above it. “This is silly, but I think it’s a boy. Call it instinct.”

Link felt himself smiling, mirroring Zelda’s now-wide grin. “Yeah? I’ll bet against you. Girl.”

“You’re not supposed to bet against me,” she laughed, sitting back up.

“I just gave us 100% odds of being right, Zelda.”

Her smile faded a little bit as she moved to lie against Link instead of on the pillow facing him. “I asked Shad to stay quiet. I don’t want anyone to know until it’s safer. Not Finn or Seres either. No one but the three of us.”

“That’s fine with me.”

“Okay,” she sighed, her head lolling towards him. “What am I going to do about the Kingdom? We’re on our feet now, but that stomach bug… well… _this_ knocked me down for days. What if it happens again, or a few months in, what happens if I’m too tired for a Council meeting about something important?”

“It’ll work out,” he tried. “You can reschedule meetings, you can have people come to you, you can send me in with all your notes and I’ll report everything back word for word. You’re the Queen, Zelda. If you want to hold a Council meeting in here with everyone wearing pajamas and holding hydromelons under their shirts just to make you laugh, you can. We’ll just have to figure this out our own way.”

“We can do this,” she chuckled nervously. “We can do it.”

He held out his hand to her and she clasped it tight. They could both feel the other shaking.

“You and me, we’ve got this,” Link agreed.

“I love you,” Zelda whispered, still wobbling between excitement and nerves.

Link tightened his grip and placed a long kiss over her hand. “I love you. I love you _both._ ”

“Gods, Link, we’re going to have a _baby._ That’s… that’s wild.”

He grinned and sat up, finally kissing her lips. His hands wrapped around the back of her neck, his thumbs running light lines over her skin as his lips moved tenderly across hers, breathing her in like air.

“Zelda,” he finally muttered, smoothing her hair back. “You took a reckless soldier and gave him something to live for. Now, you’ve given me a second person to live for. I will never be able to repay you. You saved my life the first time when you handed me the keys to our cell, and you’ve saved it again countless times since. You’ve made _me_ better.”

She pressed her forehead into his, playing with the short hairs at the nape of his neck. “And you helped me stitch my life together when I was at my lowest. You gave me a family that I never expected. We’re adding to that family. Yeah, we’re both ecstatic. And gods, are we terrified. But the best man I know once told me that we can only be bravest when we are most afraid.”

Link’s soft eyes couldn’t betray him anymore if he tried. It was as if she was looking straight into his heart, wearing it so plainly on his face.

“Well, the best woman I know once admitted she was deathly afraid of snakes, so…”

Zelda threw her head back and laughed, pulling Link with her as she crashed backwards onto the bed again. She guided him beside her and took his hand between them.

“You and I have faced prison cells, living as fugitives, countless political messes and even assassination plots, Ganondorf, death, marriage, and ruling a kingdom together. Are you ready to go on another adventure with me, Link?”

He squeezed her hand tighter, their rings knocking together with the motion.

“Always, Zelda.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, I’m not crying, you’re crying! I can’t believe I just finished this! This is so sad! I am SO SAD! I've been writing this end note forever because I just don't want to hit the post button! I DON'T WANT TO LET GO! It makes me want to write a sequel just so I can keep writing these two, but I’m not sure if that’s actually the right call or if it's just me being sad. Let me know if that's something you guys would want, or if I need to put this thing to rest and move on! Maybe time away from this will bring clarity, since for basically two months straight I’ve been working on this every day. That doesn’t help my obsessed attachment hahah! This is the longest single work I’ve ever written too, so they have a special place in my heart. And, in case you were curious, it finished at 456 Microsoft Word pages with 1.5 spacing. Good lord.  
> I hope the ending was the fluff you wanted! It was the happy end they deserve after everything they went through. I have literally never had a wedding in a fic before, and I’ve definitely never ended on a pregnancy, so I’m going to check those two fluff boxes off, thank you Unbroken.  
> Super special thank you to everyone who read this! To those who left comments, you guys kept me going every day, because this was tough hahaha!! To those who didn’t comment, I love you too and you also kept me going, I just don’t know your usernames!  
> DOUBLE thank you to War4Love aka QueenKitsune77 for making GORGEOUS art for Unbroken!! You should go check it out here!! https://www.deviantart.com/queenkitsune77/art/Zelink-Unbroken-853422436 
> 
> Okay. I’m going to close my computer and go sob in a corner for a bit. If you comment, I’ll see you there. If you don’t… this is farewell my friends! And thanks for reading this fic!


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